Manchester City midfielder Tijjani Reijnders has openly admitted that financial security for his family played a major role in his decision to move to Saudi Arabia.
The Netherlands international said the move was not simply about his football career, but about securing the financial future of his family for generations to come.
“It’s money for generations of my family,” Reijnders said while explaining his decision.
The midfielder acknowledged that he might already have been financially comfortable enough not to work again after his Manchester City contract, but said the opportunity to secure the future of his children and grandchildren made the Saudi move difficult to turn down.
“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,” he said.
Reijnders was also blunt about the financial motivation behind the decision, insisting that he did not want to pretend money was not an important factor.
“I’m not going to lie about that,” he said. “By signing this contract, I can make sure even my grandchildren are financially secure, so why wouldn’t I do it?”
His comments offer a candid explanation of why some established footballers are increasingly attracted to lucrative moves to the Saudi Pro League, where contracts can provide financial rewards that go beyond the player’s active career.
For Reijnders, the decision appears to be as much about long-term family wealth as it is about the next chapter of his football career.