Tijjani Reijnders was born on 29 July 1998 in Zwolle, Netherlands, to a Dutch father and an Indonesian mother. He came through PEC Zwolle's youth ranks and joined AZ Alkmaar on a free transfer in 2017. After loan time at Waalwijk and a return to AZ, he became one of the Eredivisie's best central midfielders in 2022–23.
In July 2023 AC Milan signed Reijnders for around €19 million. In Italy he produced one of the most outstanding seasons by a Dutch central midfielder of recent years: 37 Serie A matches with 10 goals and 4 assists in 2024–25, plus 10 UEFA Champions League appearances and 5 Coppa Italia matches with 2 goals. His form attracted Premier League attention, and in June 2025 Manchester City signed him as part of their midfield rebuild.
His Manchester City debut season has been spectacular: 26 Premier League matches with 5 goals and 2 assists, plus 10 UEFA Champions League appearances and FA Cup contributions. He featured for City in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and has continued to be one of the most influential midfielders in the league.
A two-footed central midfielder who carries the ball, scores from outside the box, and contributes both defensively and creatively, Reijnders has been a fixture for the Netherlands across the 2024 European Championship, Nations League and 2026 World Cup qualifying. He is one of the senior creative options at the heart of the Oranje midfield heading into the 2026 World Cup.