While Man City have secured a strong return on the player they signed for €55m a year ago, Milan are the true financial winners. When the Italian club sold Reijnders last summer, they included up to €14m in performance-related add-ons. Crucially, they anticipated a swift departure and inserted a smart clause. This specific agreement guaranteed that if Manchester City sold Reijnders within the first year, they would have to pay the entire €14m package, regardless of whether he achieved targets like Champions League success or the Ballon d’Or.
