EVER since the purchase of Simon Mignolet the question arose,: what to do with Pepe Reina?
The solution was never going to be an easy one given that Reina had given his all for the Reds since 2005 and won the Premier League Golden Glove in his first three seasons at Anfield.
The most popular rumour from the beginning was some sort of return with Barcelona where Reina started his career.
Word was Victor Valdes was unsettled and the Catalan giants would soon come calling for Liverpool’s Spanish keeper. However, once Valdes decided to commit the final year of his contract to Barcelona things became a bit more complicated.
Enter Napoli with their new manager, Rafa Benitez, and a fresh infusion of cash given the sale of Edinson Cavani to Paris St. Germain. Napoli certainly have been busy since the sale of Cavani, being linked with everyone and their mother. In the meantime, some deals have seemed to come to fruition. One such deal is the season-long loan of Pepe Reina.
Once Brendan Rodgers and FSG secured the signature of Simon Mignolet it appeared that Reina would always play second fiddle to the Belgium international. Whether fair or not, at only 25 years of age, Mignolet seems to have more ahead of him than Reina does, who turns 31 the end of next month.
Talk was rampant about who would be the starter, who would be the backup. No one saw Mignolet being the back-up in a World Cup year when he is desperate to impress. And who could see Pepe as back-up, given his track record with the club? Although Reina has had some brilliant times with the club, it was becoming evident that it was time to move on.
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In truth, the possibility of a season-long loan to Napoli may be the best bit of business Rodgers has done yet this summer. It’s clear that this Liverpool side is trying to build a team capable of challenging for the top-four. The need for additional pieces is clear but the money must be there before any investment can be made. Getting Reina’s £110,000 a week contract off the books will certainly help.
Sure, some may want an outright sale of Reina but this is indeed a shrewd piece of business from the club. They don’t have to pay one of their highest wage earners but if the worst were to happen and Reina’s services were needed, he could be recalled.
Furthermore, Liverpool haven’t hung Reina out to dry. Instead the Spaniard is being reunited with the man who brought him to Liverpool, Rafa Benitez, and also his old goalkeeper coach, Xavi Valero, and faces the prospect of Champions League football.
Reina’s form has seen a noticeable dip the past couple of seasons but reuniting him with familiar faces may do wonders to increase his form. The better Reina performs this season the more valuable he becomes if Liverpool do choose to sell him next season. The latest dealings from FSG and company seem to be a win-win for both sides.
stupid move this will backfire like loaning carrol to west ham and leaving us short Pepe is one of the biggest characters at the club he is very vocal and the fans love him FSG all they want is the club running at very locosts and they are not bothered were we end up finishing ian ayre and fsg please run the club so we are there compeating or sell to someone who will have us up there with city spurs utd and chelski and the gooners they are miles ahead of us
I still reckon Reina could have kept mignolet out of the team. Apart from the odd howler, he has the reactions of a cat. More than happy with mignolet though
Our Liverpool is on a downward spiral BR is a yes Boss manager to FSG .
Instead of strengthening the defence and bringing in replacements for senior Suarez, we buy a keeper and add send one that is just as good if not better and proven at the highest level!
Just marvellous . Carry on Brendan . We now have a keeper that is unproven , a defender on a free, Carragher retired, skertel on its way… A tottally disorganised defence. We are in for one hell of a season. Fasten your seatbelts. The only way with BR is down. A fraudster in charge of our club .
for me that’s the news lfc need to replace him the guy is not good. now we can talk about CL.
Terrible news.
Bodgers continues to downgrade our squad and lies about it every day
Reina will be missed but that idiot Rodgers won’t be when he goes
Yet another salary dump. Yet another part of the very fabric of our beloeved Liverpool forced out of the club.
A loyal servant, a self-proclaimed Scouser, Pepe Reina should be untouchable lest we forget how he stood tall when the likes of Mascherano and Torres were begging off.
In fact outside of Carra and Stevie, Reina is at the very top in service to the club.
To those who know that he wanted out – show me a quote anything near to what Suarez has been saying. In fact, nothing ever directly attributed to him ever said anything about leaving other than EVENTUALLY thinking about ending his career in Spain – years down the road.
To those who think him done, perhaps a review of last seasons second half – when he was fully fit – is in order, lest we forget he was MOM on one occasion, and played a string of top notch matches to close out the season.
In a system that stresses playing out from the back (ad nauseum) Reina’s distribution is unparalleled.
On a club lacking veteran leadership, by the duplicitous’ coach’s own mouth, Reina’s presence is critically needed.
And while some are falling all over themselves, most agree the keepers are their best once they turn 30.
With Reina at 31 and Mignolet at 26 this again makes no sense.
EXCEPT for wages – clearly THE SINGULAR MOST IMPORTANT THING to FSG. They have no concept of how much tradition, history and pride mean to Liverpool FC. Just money, the rest be, um, darned.
Another backward step. And once again the bullsh it man Rodgers makes fools out of all the fans who believe what he says
You can’t trust a word out of his mouth
This I one move I totally disagree and disapprove. So what will there competition in the goalkeeper department ? And we know how good is Brad Jones . What if Simon gets injured ?
I bet the same sooks won’t be complaining when we use money saved to go toward a big sig signing as we march back to the top of he table over the next couple of years.
Reina had been ordinary for at least a couple of years and paing someone who is ordinary 5.5m doesn’t cut it.
Stop your usual,whinging and get behind your new keeper.
You really are stupid ? Lol
What are you ? 7 years old. Still believe in Santa ?
I have never seen such idiotic comments from one guy (kid) in all my tim
Wake up
What’s changed in the last couple of years? Answer 3 managers, different styles, and crucially 3 new goalkeeping coaches!! Coincidence?
No matter what Reina is still a liverpool legend.u got 2 go 2 utube 2 c what a good stopper he is . Sure everybody makes mistakes once in a while afterall they are also human.i have just read from liverpool echo tat e loan move is off.br is looking at a permanent sale.
And now Brendan The False is pumping his chest proclaiming, “It was my decision.” “Liverpool is evolving.”
He got that right – we’re evolving into the reincarnation of Swansea.
If the other rumors are correct, and we also sell Suarez on to Arsenal, than Henry and his merry band of carpetbaggers are actually worse than Hicks and Gillette. Even if we did wind up in administration, at least we had some incredible years of glory, capped with a two appearances in the ECL final and one magnificent ECL trophy.
Henry’s reign has brought two 2nd tier finishes and portents of a mid-level club (if that) for years to come…