BOCA RATON, Florida — Tijjani Reijnders insists he’s not aiming to switch Kevin De Bruyne at Manchester Metropolis regardless of revealing the Belgian midfielder is one among his idols.
Reijnders has joined Metropolis in a £46.5 million ($63.07m) deal from Milan simply as De Bruyne has ended his 10-year keep on the membership to maneuver to Napoli.
The Netherlands worldwide mentioned he has modelled components of his sport on the Metropolis legend, in addition to former Barcelona and Spain star Andres Iniesta.
However he mentioned he’ll attempt to be his personal man on the Etihad Stadium.
“I am not right here to switch him [De Bruyne],” mentioned Reijnders at Metropolis’s Membership World Cup coaching base in Florida.
“I’ve to play my very own sport. However I take issues from completely different gamers and what they’ll do very well and attempt to adapt that. With Kevin De Bruyne, [it was] how he was scanning the pitch, the passes he gave.”
De Bruyne flourished below Pep Guardiola and was twice named the Premier League’s finest participant.
Reijnders arrives at Metropolis having been named as the perfect midfielder in Serie A, and the 26-year-old is hoping he can go to the following degree below his new supervisor.
“That is additionally an enormous factor, after all, the perfect coach on the earth,” he mentioned.
“I’m very wanting to be taught new issues right here and magnificence of taking part in and that is what I am trying ahead to.”
Like Reijnders, left-back Rayan Aït-Nouri has additionally moved to Metropolis in time to be a part of the squad for the Membership World Cup.
The 24-year-old, who has joined from Wolves, may make his debut of their opening sport towards Moroccan facet Wydad AC in Philadelphia on Wednesday.
“It is a massive step,” he mentioned.
“Large step for my profession. I have been within the Premier League for a very long time, I performed for 5 years. The league could be very onerous. They’ve a whole lot of excellent groups. However yeah, for certain the step is extra larger. I’ll attempt to give my finest.”