Reina could leave for �5m at end of Napoli loan

Correspondent | Wednesday March 12, 2014 12:36

 

The Spain international is enjoying a season-long loan at Napoli under the former Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez, who confirmed at the weekend that Reina has a release clause in his contract with the Merseyside club.

That clause, it can be revealed, allows the former Liverpool No1 to leave for €5 million at the end of this season.

Napoli and Athletic Madrid, where his father Miguel played in goal during the 1970s, are among the clubs interested in signing the one-time Barcelona target on a permanent basis.

Last month Rodgers, in response to comments from the goalkeeper about needing to return to Merseyside to make a decision, said he believed the player had already made up his mind.

“Pepe made it very clear when he went to Napoli he was looking to move as he penned a great big letter saying he was going to work with the best manager that he’d worked with and thanked everyone for his time for Liverpool,” said Rodgers.

However, Reina denies he has already confirmed his departure. “That is what the manager says apparently but I have two years left on my contract,” Reina told BBC Sport. “Liverpool got another goalkeeper [Simon Mignolet] and they told me they were happy to loan me for a season. “It was strange but I don’t regret it. The only thing about the letter is that I just could say goodbye in a different way and I couldn’t do it [in person]. There are always ups and downs in a career and in the last two-and-a-half years at Liverpool there were different methods and perhaps I didn’t do as good as I used to with Rafa.”

Benítez remains circumspect on Reina’s long-term future, with the 31-year-old linked with a return to Barcelona to replace the outgoing Víctor Valdés. “He reads the game very well and is one of the best goalkeepers in the world,” said the Napoli manager.

“Will he stay at Napoli? He has a clause and we know it – meanwhile he should continue to do well until the end of the season.”

(The Guardian)