According to The Metro, Pepe Reina could be on his way back to Liverpool for his second spell as a Liverpool player.
Various reports in Italy and England suggest that Liverpool want to re-sign fan favourite Pepe Reina. The report says Jürgen Klopp is looking for an experienced goalkeeper who can lead from the back – something Simon Mignolet has struggled to show.
And after a solid season with Napoli – keeping 15 clean sheets in 37 league appearances – the Reds are reportedly lining up a bid for Reina. With the Spaniard possibly heading back to Liverpool it could mean Simon Mignolet is to leave the Reds despite signing a five-year deal with Liverpool just last January.
TalkSPORT have reported that despite completing the signing of Loris Karius from Mainz last week for £4.7m, Klopp is keen to add the former Bayern Munich player to his goalkeeping department, in a playing and coaching position.
A possible role for Reina could be as a mentor for new-boy Karius . He could pass on the tricks of the trade that saw him adored by the Anfield faithful in his nine year spell with Liverpool from 2005 until 2014,
Ex-Liverpool coach Rafa Benitez hailed him as the ‘best keeper in the world’ when he just signed with Liverpool. He immediately broke the club record of six consecutive clean sheets by Christmas, going on to make 285 appearances for Liverpool and keeping 134 clean sheets. Despite his form dipping season by season, the Spanish international has made a positive impression in Serie A, and Napoli would need to be greatly compensated to part ways with the experienced shot stopper.
Pepe Reina is one of the few keepers in the world who can start a chance from the back. When Reina played with Liverpool, It was unerring to witness the distribution that he displayed with Fernando Torres regularly feeding off his kicks. His kicking quality is a trait very commonly lacking in most keepers.
Whether Liverpool’s beloved shot-stopper will return is unknown but I can say with confidence that most supporters would be pleased to see his return.
Featured Image – Zimbio