Barcelona briefly considered signing AZ Alkmaar midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, who has decided to join AC Milan instead.
According to a report by Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport, Tijjani Reijnders was the subject of interest from Barcelona. The Blaugrana even made an approach for the 24-year-old midfielder. But the AZ Alkmaar ace has his heart set on joining AC Milan, with the Eredivisie club demanding €20 million to sell him.
Tijjani Reijnders took some time to rise to prominence after passing through the academies of five Dutch clubs. Three of these hail from his hometown, Zwolle. But he has come leaps and bounds since joining AZ Alkmaar half a dozen years ago. That said, he was not an instant hit at the AFAS Stadium. And one can consider 2022/23 as his breakthrough season.
The 24-year-old was a mainstay in the middle of the park for AZ Alkmaar and contributed to 19 goals. Reijnders found the back of the never seven times while providing 12 assists in 54 outings. And the player’s progress has captured the attention of several high-profile clubs heading into the summer transfer window.
Recent reports have linked the Dutchman with Liverpool and West Ham United. In addition, he is also the subject of interest from AC Milan and Barcelona. And Gazzetta dello Sport has claimed that Barcelona recently made a move to sign the AZ Alkmaar midfielder.
The reigning La Liga champions have already bolstered their midfield unit by signing Ilkay Gundogan. But with Franck Kessie also facing an uncertain future, it behoves Barcelona to invest in another midfielder. And Reijnders is a viable target for Barcelona due to his ability to play every midfield role. But the 24-year-old has his heart set on joining AC Milan.
The Serie A giants have been on a tear in the summer transfer window as they look to reinforce their squad. And apart from Reijnders, Christian Pulisic will likely bolster Stefano Pioli’s options this summer. But AC Milan will need to shell out €20 million to secure the Dutch midfielder’s services.
As for Barcelona, the Catalan giants have several midfielders on their radar. And Oriol Romeu is their priority target amid their never-ending financial duress. It will be interesting to see if Barcelona can re-sign the Girona midfielder after facing rejection from Reijnders.
