Pepe Reina – Should He Stay Or Should He Go?

During my years as a Liverpool supporter there have been a number of goalkeepers who have protected the goal in front of the famous Kop. The list is long and most have been forgotten – Pegguy Arphexad anyone? However, for me, there is one man who stands head and shoulders above the rest. And that man is Pepe Reina.

This week it was announced that he is set to return to Liverpool after a permanent deal to Napoli failed to materialise. This news has got many reds questioning whether there is a chance he can resurrect his Liverpool career, with some fans I’ve spoken to even suggesting that he should replace Simon Mignolet as our number 1.

The romantic in me would love to see Reina at Liverpool next season. After all, he is a man who has made 394 appearances since joining the club. He has been an ever-present fixture in some of our most recent triumphs. From FA Cup finals to Champions League demolitions, he played a pivotal role in our success. It would be great to have him back now we are in Europe’s top competition. It would be great to add his experience to our young squad, to have him competing and teaching Mignolet. But this isn’t ‘Football Manager.’ This is real life football, with actual economics.

The realist in me knows that this can not and will not happen. It’s reported that his wages are approximately around £110,000 a week. Under the John Henry regime, a player on that amount of money would simply not be allowed to sit on the bench. A club who have struggled financially in recent years would not be able to justify such a role. Money aside, it’s also got to be remembered that Brendan Rodgers is building his own team, a team of young players who he hopes will challenge for titles and trophies in the coming years.

Simon Mignolet is a key part of this and any talk of him replacing the young Belgian must be forgotten about. We must give Mignolet the chance to improve, to play in the Champions League for the first time. With game time, I believe Mignolet will become a top quality goalkeeper, and will be, like Reina once was, an important fixture in a successful Liverpool side.

If I was a betting man, I would suggest that once the World Cup is over, Liverpool and Napoli will get together and knock out a deal that will see him return to Benitez’s side. The way in which Reina left the club on loan last summer was disappointing with claims his transfer was completed without his knowledge. It was rather unsavoury for a player who has made such an impression on the fans of our club.

Perhaps his pre-season with us will allow him to build some broken bridges and he can say goodbye to our club in a much more dignified way for all involved. This way, when we speak about goalkeepers who have stood in front of that famous Kop, he’ll be remembered for the saves he made and not the way in which his days as a red fizzled out.