Father of Dutch midfielder reveals why He rejected Barcelona in 2023 – ‘I told my son…’

In 2023, Tijjani Reijnders, a talented Dutch midfielder, was on Barcelona’s radar. The club viewed him as a potential successor to Sergio Busquets, who had left a significant gap in their midfield. 

However, the move never materialised, and Reijnders eventually signed with AC Milan instead. It has now been revealed by the player’s father, Martin Reijnders, that he advised his son to turn down Barcelona’s offer.

Barcelona’s interest in Reijnders was well-known. The Blaugrana saw the midfielder as a promising option to fill the shoes of Busquets, a legendary figure at the club. 

However, the deal did not progress, largely due to the advice given by Reijnders’ father. According to him, he believed that Barcelona was not the right fit for his son at this stage of his career. 

While Reijnders was flattered by the attention from such a prestigious club, the concern was that he did not possess the same playing style as Busquets, which might have limited his opportunities on the pitch.

Contacts with Deco

Martin Reijnders explained that his conversations with Barcelona took place through Deco, the club’s sporting director, even though Deco had not been officially presented in that role at the time. 

Tijjani Reijnders rejected Barcelona in 2023. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“I only had direct contact with Barcelona, ​​​​talking to the technical director, Deco. I even checked his profile picture to make sure it was really him,” Reijnders Sr. was quoted by Mundo Deportivo.

Despite the admiration for Barcelona’s interest, Martin believed that his son would struggle to fit into their system. He pointed out that Barcelona was looking for someone with Busquets’ specific qualities, and he felt his son did not match that profile. 

“It is clear that we are flattered by Barcelona’s interest. However, they were looking for a replacement for Busquets.

“I told my son that he does not have that profile. He is not that type of player with the characteristics they were looking for,” he explained.

Why did he reject Barcelona?

There was a significant risk that Tijjani would end up as a substitute, which could lead to a difficult spell in his career, as has happened to many others who did not succeed after joining Barça.

“I advised my son to reject Barcelona, ​​​​there he would have been a substitute and risked failing, as has happened to many others.”

While English clubs also showed interest, Martin Reijnders only communicated with them through intermediaries. 

His primary focus was on finding the best environment for his son’s development. He felt the midfielder “would sooner or later have ended up on the bench, becoming just another player who doesn’t succeed abroad,” he noted.