New Premier League star reveals surprise job he had before dream transfer: "It was good for me' - The Mirror

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Tijjani Reijnders has gone from stacking supermarket shelves to the Premier League following his £46.6million move to Manchester City. Dutch midfielder Reijnders became City's fourth signing of the summer after joining from AC Milan and will make his debut for Pep Guardiola's side in this month's FIFA Club World Cup.

But the 26-year-old has had to work his way to the highest level in world football and worked at Aldi in his native Zwolle for a year before earning his first professional contract.

"I didn't get a professional contract when I was 16 or 17," said Reijnders. "At one point in the summer, my mother came to me and said 'you have to get a job'. I was working at a supermarket, I had to sign in and I worked there for one year with my friends.

"But I think, in the end, it was good for me to see how life is without football and now, looking back, it's crazy to see how quick things can go in life. Now, I'm here."

Reijnders left the checkout and supermarket aisles behind when he made the first-team at PEC Zwolle, them moving to AZ Alkmaar for five years, before a two-year spell at AC Milan.

He was named Serie A's midfielder of the season for last term, despite a poor campaign for AC Milan, which saw them finish in eighth place and miss out on European football altogether.

Those performances caught the eye of City, who moved quickly to sign him and take their summer spending to £110m, following the earlier arrivals of Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rayan Cherki and goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli.

Reflecting on his move to City, Reijnders said: "I feel really excited. It's a big step. I can't wait to wear the jersey, to play in these colours and to win prizes with the club.

"It's a boy's dream to play in the Premier League. I want to feel the intensity and energy of playing in the Premier League. You have to think even quicker here. The spaces are smaller and these are things I want to be better at. Everybody knows how well City play in general. Being dominant on the pitch and playing attacking football - playing football that I like.

"It's one of the biggest clubs in the world and I shouldn't have to think twice to make this choice to join Manchester City, so I'm very happy to be here.

"I'm a box-to-box midfielder who likes to join the build-up from the back. I like to help the attackers, create chances and try to score myself sometimes. As a midfielder, it's important to score goals as well.

"Two years ago I didn't score that many goals and I worked on it that summer and seeing what I needed to do better in front of the goal. This season, it worked out and I got on the scoresheet more."

Total spend since January 1: £282.1million