Tijjani Reijnders has offered a brutally honest explanation for his decision to move to Saudi Arabia, admitting the financial rewards can secure his family’s future for generations.
The midfielder has made no attempt to disguise the financial motivation behind the move, openly acknowledging that the contract gives him an opportunity to build long-term wealth beyond his playing career.
For Reijnders, the decision is not simply about what happens during his years on the pitch.
It is about what comes after.
The former Manchester City player says he does not want to spend his post-football life worrying about employment, while the Saudi Arabian deal provides an opportunity to protect the financial future of his family.
“Once my playing career is over, I don’t want to have to work anymore. Of course, I probably wouldn’t have needed to work anymore after my contract at Manchester City either, but this move allows me to secure the future of the next generations of my family”.
Reijnders was equally direct when discussing the scale of what the contract could mean for his family.
Rather than hide behind sporting ambitions, the midfielder admitted that the chance to create financial security for his descendants was a major factor in his decision.
“I’m not going to lie about that. By signing this contract, I can make sure even my grandchildren are financially secure, so why wouldn’t I do it?”.
The comments provide a candid insight into one of the biggest attractions of football’s growing Saudi Arabian market.
For players at the highest level, a move away from Europe can involve difficult sporting questions, but the financial opportunities can be impossible to ignore.
Reijnders has chosen to be transparent about where his priorities lie.
His reasoning is centred on building something that extends beyond his own career. The midfielder sees the Saudi Arabian contract as an opportunity to establish financial security not just for himself, but for generations that will follow.
That perspective also explains why he believes the decision makes sense even if he could already have been financially comfortable after his Manchester City contract.
For Reijnders, there is a difference between having enough money for his own future and creating a financial foundation that can benefit his children and grandchildren.
The midfielder has therefore made his position clear: the financial security offered by the move was too significant to overlook.
Rather than pretending money played no role, Reijnders has embraced the reality of the decision.
His comments are likely to reignite the wider conversation around players choosing Saudi Arabia, where lucrative contracts have become a major part of the league’s appeal.
But Reijnders’ explanation is personal.
He is thinking beyond football, beyond his own career and beyond the next contract.
For the midfielder, the ultimate prize is the ability to walk away from football knowing that his family’s financial future has already been secured for generations.
Toosin is a dedicated sports writer with a strong background in crafting engaging and insightful content. With experience at Goal, he has developed a sharp editorial sense and a refined storytelling approach that brings depth and perspective to sports journalism. His passion for the game goes beyond the headlines, as he captures both the excitement of the sport and the compelling human narratives behind each event. Toosin’s work resonates with a broad and diverse audience, making global sports stories accessible, relatable, and impactful.
