Tijjani Reijnders

Key strength: Work rate

Box-to-box midfielder

Sitting 2nd in the Premier League table and riding the momentum of three consecutive victories, Manchester City's title ambitions are being driven by the tireless engine of Tijjani Reijnders. The 27-year-old Dutch midfielder—now valued at €54.9 million—has become an indispensable cog in Pep Guardiola's machine, racking up an astonishing 44 appearances and 2,588 minutes of relentless box-to-box industry. Reijnders' perfectly balanced 7 goals and 7 assists only scratch the surface of his influence. With 80-rated passing and an inexhaustible work rate, he serves as the vital conduit between City's defensive base and attacking arsenal—supplying Omar Marmoush, Rayan Cherki, and Bernardo Silva while forging a formidable partnership with Scott McTominay in the heart of midfield. What truly sets the Netherlands international apart is his remarkable discipline: just two yellow cards across an entire campaign of high-intensity football, a testament to his tactical intelligence and composure. As Guardiola's trusted No. 4, Reijnders embodies the relentless reliability that championship-winning sides are built upon.