Liverpool have today confirmed that our long term goalkeeper Pepe Reina has joined Rafa Benitez' Napoli on a season long loan deal. Reina has released a lengthy statement via his website on his time at Liverpool, making it very clear how much he loved being here and how much he will miss the club.
It's a very sincere statement and in this day and age of players moving on for money it's refreshing to see someone, especially a foreigner, take a club, it's fans and it's culture so much to heart. Pepe Reina loves Liverpool and Liverpool loves Pepe Reina, he'll miss us and we'll miss him.
What he also mentions in his statement is Barcelona. The Catalan club also have a long term goalkeeper but Victor Valdes has announced he will not be signing another contract at the club, meaning he will leave for free next summer and Barca will need a new number one. Top of the list? Pepe Reina. The Spaniard admits to having talks with Brendan Rodgers about a move to Barca, saying he is happy to stay at Anfield but would seriously consider a switch to the Camp Nou if the opportunity arises. Basically Reina wanted Barca, Barca wanted a 'keeper, what was Rodgers supposed to do?
A replacement was targeted and signed, Simon Mignolet coming in from Sunderland. By all accounts we weren't the only club interested in the Belgian international and we had to move quickly to secure his services. He has Premier League experience and youth on his side and if he settles and develops as we hope he could potentially be our first choice for the next decade. The catch? Victor Valdes has decided to stay at Barca and see out the final year of his contract rather than make a move to Monaco or PSG meaning Barca have decided against making a big money goalkeeping signing this summer.
If we had decided to stick with Reina and Barcelona come in for him next summer we would most probably lose him and be stuck. The way things have panned out we've managed to acquire our first choice as his successor, something that may not have happened if we'd waited twelve months. He's on a salary of around £5 million a year, something we simply cannot justify for a reserve goalkeeper. It's different for outfield players as they can come on for the last twenty or thirty minutes of a match and make an impact, goalkeepers sit and watch unless there's an injury or a sending off. We couldn't keep him, and letting him out on loan for a year benefits all parties.
I have a lot of time and respect for Reina as a man and as a footballer and I wish him well, to be honest the sentimental part of me really doesn't want to see him move on. But his idea that he would wait for Barcelona to come in for him and keep Liverpool as his back up option smacks of someone who wants to have his cake and eat it, something we just can't entertain.
It's easy to remember just how good he was two or three years ago and say that allowing him to leave the club is a mistake, but the way everything has happened we've taken the only option realistically available to us. Pepe Reina's goodbye statement confirms exactly why we love and respect him so much, and also explains exactly why Brendan Rodgers had no choice but to bring in Simon Mignolet and let Reina go.
Good luck Pepe, YNWA.
If thats the case we say we wont sell suarez and state hes our player so we dont lose cheaply and get the best possible deal for him!easy target this window easy target every window to many players leave far to cheap we sold the spanish no1rb for 2.5mill bought english rb 17.5 mill we bought a struggling argy off west ham he left as best defensive midfielder in prem for pretty much same money!Very sad to see pepe go mignolet will have A more intense spotlight now good luck to them both
ReplyDeleteAs stated, this is probably for the best for all parties involved. liverpool get Reina off the salary books and preempt the inevitable goalkeeper controversy when Mignolet makes his first mistake (and it will happen...no keeper is perfect); Pepe gets to play every week under a manager he knows and one that knows him and how to use him. Liverpool also win in that it showcases Pepe to Barca for next year when they'll be looking for a new keeper. I wouldnt be at all surprised if negotiarions and a price have already been discussed about a future move. That being said, it doesnt hurt if Napoli turn around and start a bidding war if Pepe does as well as I expect him to
ReplyDeleteGood luck to Pepe anyway...class player & man!
ReplyDeleteGood luck pepe
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