Reina to return?
Pepe Reina is being linked to return to Anfield and take his place between the sticks for Liverpool. Is this a turn around for the long serving keeper to resurrect his Liverpool career?
Reina is arguably known as one of the best distributing goalkeepers in Europe and has enjoyed 8 seasons for Liverpool amassing a grand total of 284 appearances for the club. 134 clean sheets were kept within that time period underlying Reina's abaility as a shot stopper however at the end of last season things took a different turn for both Liverpool and Reina.
Victor Valdes announced his intention to leave Barcelona and suddenly the vultures were flying around Pepe. Rumours were Barcelona were very interested in Reina and that Valdes may leave at the end of the 2013 season and Reina was encouraged that a move may transpire sooner than he realised. Liverpool were quick to counter this potential loss of a main player and signed the impressive Simon Mignolet from Sunderland. However the vultures departed without a single bite and Reina was left in goalkeeping limbo. Brendan Rodgers had to show faith in his new signing Mignolet and instated him as number one, leaving Pepe looking on from the sidelines. Queue the emergence of Pepe's ex-boxx Rafa Benitez arriving at Napoli and managing to secure a year long loan for the goalkeeper to join him in Serie A.
27 games into the season and Napoli sit in 3rd spot, face Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia final and Porto in the nest round of the Europa League. All good news for Pepe? Maybe. He has featured 20 times for the club and has a £4.1 million clause to make his Napoli loan a permanent deal. This seems the most logical route for Pepe however today reports suggest the door isn't entirely closed at Liverpool. Mignolet has played 28 times for the Reds and kept 8 clean sheets, however he is actually close to becoming the record holder for most goals conceded for a Liverpool goalkeeper due to their leaky defence. Is this a concern for Brendan?
Suarez and Sturridge have ensured they can outscore most opponents however shoring up the backline will be high on his agenda regardless of his strong strikeforce. So where will Reina end up?
Napoli are doing well with his performances, Liverpool arguably aren't that better off without him. Don't forget Valdes is still set to leave the Camp Nou and they are yet to name a replacement. Atletico Madrid also need a long term goalkeeper if they can't tie down Courtois from Chelsea.
The summer will be an interesting one for Pepe Reina. He may well go from being the number 2 at Liverpool in 2013 to one of the most fought after goalkeepers in the summer of 2014.
Pepe Reina is being linked to return to Anfield and take his place between the sticks for Liverpool. Is this a turn around for the long serving keeper to resurrect his Liverpool career?
Reina is arguably known as one of the best distributing goalkeepers in Europe and has enjoyed 8 seasons for Liverpool amassing a grand total of 284 appearances for the club. 134 clean sheets were kept within that time period underlying Reina's abaility as a shot stopper however at the end of last season things took a different turn for both Liverpool and Reina.
Victor Valdes announced his intention to leave Barcelona and suddenly the vultures were flying around Pepe. Rumours were Barcelona were very interested in Reina and that Valdes may leave at the end of the 2013 season and Reina was encouraged that a move may transpire sooner than he realised. Liverpool were quick to counter this potential loss of a main player and signed the impressive Simon Mignolet from Sunderland. However the vultures departed without a single bite and Reina was left in goalkeeping limbo. Brendan Rodgers had to show faith in his new signing Mignolet and instated him as number one, leaving Pepe looking on from the sidelines. Queue the emergence of Pepe's ex-boxx Rafa Benitez arriving at Napoli and managing to secure a year long loan for the goalkeeper to join him in Serie A.
27 games into the season and Napoli sit in 3rd spot, face Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia final and Porto in the nest round of the Europa League. All good news for Pepe? Maybe. He has featured 20 times for the club and has a £4.1 million clause to make his Napoli loan a permanent deal. This seems the most logical route for Pepe however today reports suggest the door isn't entirely closed at Liverpool. Mignolet has played 28 times for the Reds and kept 8 clean sheets, however he is actually close to becoming the record holder for most goals conceded for a Liverpool goalkeeper due to their leaky defence. Is this a concern for Brendan?
Suarez and Sturridge have ensured they can outscore most opponents however shoring up the backline will be high on his agenda regardless of his strong strikeforce. So where will Reina end up?
Napoli are doing well with his performances, Liverpool arguably aren't that better off without him. Don't forget Valdes is still set to leave the Camp Nou and they are yet to name a replacement. Atletico Madrid also need a long term goalkeeper if they can't tie down Courtois from Chelsea.
The summer will be an interesting one for Pepe Reina. He may well go from being the number 2 at Liverpool in 2013 to one of the most fought after goalkeepers in the summer of 2014.