TIJJANI REIJNDERS is a man with the football world at his feet.
Man City boss Pep Guardiola sanctioned a £46m spend to add the AC Milan star, named the best midfielder in Italy last season, to his ranks.
Tijjani Reijnders of Netherlands[/caption]
Bert Konterman takes charge of Netherlands U19[/caption]
But he could have been plying his trade for Rangers instead – or the Gers might have been quids in by now – were it not for the intervention of one of their former stars.
That’s because back in 2022, when he was playing for AZ Alkmaar, Rangers tried to sign him.
You will recall the Gers, under Giovanni van Bronckhorst, being linked with a raft of top Dutch talent around then, including Joey Veerman and Xavi Simons.
And the interest in Reijnders went as far as Tijjani’s dad Martin sounding out Bert Konterman, the player’s former coach with the Dutch Under-20 team, on the subject.
Konterman himself takes up the narrative.
The former Gers defender recalled: “Rangers, my old club wanted him.
“Martin asked me what was wise.
“I thought it was wiser to stay at AZ.
“Rangers is a big club, but he wasn’t finished at AZ yet and maybe in a year there would be even bigger clubs.”
“I also thought he would fit better in Spanish or Italian football.
“Luckily that worked out. It’s good that he didn’t leave.
“His patience has definitely been rewarded.”
You can say that again, with the player now a must pick for the Dutch international team – having scored his first goal against Scotland no less.
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