Burdened by finances, with a ‘noose‘ around its neck, Barcelona had to make cuts just over a year ago. There were no more privileges—if you couldn’t contribute and play at a top level, you had to go. Salaries had to be reduced, and players had to fit into various pay ranges, leaving no room for Sergio Busquets at the Catalan club. Barcelona began searching for a midfielder. Several names were on Xavi Hernandez’s list, and Tijjani Reijnders was near the top. It didn’t stop at just inquiries; they entered concrete negotiations with the representatives of the then-AZ Alkmaar player but came up empty-handed. The most crucial role was played by his father, Martin.🇳🇱🔴 Tijjani Reijnders (Milan, 26)🇮🇹🔵 Nicoló Barella (Inter, 27)Compare players 👉 https://t.co/McR5zrPkTO https://t.co/U39DcrdwSX pic.twitter.com/L0GNphxlfe— DataMB (@DataMB_) October 8, 2024 Not many would turn down Barcelona, but Tijjani Reijnders did—on his father’s advice. He took the advice, thanked Barcelona, and that same August signed with AC Milan.”I advised my son not to go to Barcelona, to turn them down because he would be a reserve there. There was a risk he wouldn’t succeed, just like many others. There was also interest from English clubs, but I only spoke with them through intermediaries. I talked to Deco to verify if it was really him“ Tijjani‘s father revealed.The long-awaited Dutchman as a replacement for Tonali has arrivedMartin Reijnders confirmed it was indeed Deco, and that Barcelona was genuinely interested, but his opinion didn’t change. His son listened to him, went to San Siro in a 19,000,000 euros transfer, and became a regular starter.”We were pleased that Barcelona was interested, looking for a replacement for Busquets. But I immediately told my son, ‘You’re not that type of player; you don’t have those characteristics.’ Before he realized it, he would’ve ended up on the bench, just another player who failed abroad. In Milan, however, he plays and is a starter, becoming indispensable. He has unique characteristics, Fonseca likes him, and he’s at the center of the club’s project,” said Martin Reijnders.##NAJAVA_MECA_8405979##
