Liverpool FC Forum

ROY HODGSON today told any clubs considering making a move for Pepe Reina: don’t bother wasting your time.

The Liverpool keeper was linked with Manchester United earlier this week, with reports saying Alex Ferguson has identified Reina as the man he wants to replace Edwin van der Sar.

Arsenal are also known to be keen admirers of a player who has become an iconic figure on The Kop since he joined the Reds from Villarreal in the summer of 2005. Hodgson, though, is not in the least bit flustered by the fact that some are casting envious glances at Reina because he has made it emphatically clear the Spaniard is not for sale.

Reina, who has been tipped by both Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher as being a potential future Liverpool captain, only signed a new six-year deal in April.

That makes reports claiming he could be prised from Liverpool for £12m fanciful but, as Hodgson points out, there is no figure that he would even consider doing business.

“It (Reina to United) was just one of those stories that seems to occur – it’s just disappointing and annoying,” said Hodgson. “Pepe is fantastic here, he is a lifeblood of this team.

“Everything he does around the club is excellent – he is always lively in the dressing room, he is always first class in training and he always wants to do more to improve.

“He demands better from those around him, he is always pushing people on. He is a player who we hold in the highest esteem.

“We have heard nothing from Manchester United and, more to the point, we don’t want to hear anything from Manchester United.

“If (Alex) Ferguson is looking around at the end of the season and he has got lots of money to replace van der Sar, he might very well want Pepe Reina because he is the best around.

“But we do not want to sell him. I would like to think that we are going to become a successful club once again and Pepe is crucial to that.”

Hodgson’s comments last week in Naples that he feared United would chase Fernando Torres if Wayne Rooney left caused many Liverpool supporters to furrow their brows.

The manager, though, has clarified what he meant and reiterated that he wants to build a successful Liverpool team that includes, Torres, Reina, Gerrard and many more star talents.

“We want to promise the players we have got here that we are going to be up there fighting once again and we are absolutely not looking to sell any of our better players,” said Hodgson.

“But, equally, I would also be disappointed if teams like Manchester United, Chelsea, Barcelona and all the teams with money were not looking at our players.

“If I was Fernando Torres, I would expect every top club in Europe to be chasing me. That’s good as it means he’s doing his job. But we don’t need the money and we don’t want to sell.”



from Liverpool Echo

bavlondon wrote:

JamCar05 wrote:

bavlondon wrote:

roberto green wrote:Grow some balls and quick Woy and tell them where to go!!

2nd that!

If he comes out with a similar response to what he said about Torres I think ill hit the roof.

TBH I can't really see why Hodgson should go out and comment on an article which doesn't actually contain a single quote in it. It is probably pure fabrication by the journo and there's absolutely no reason to comment on garbage like that imo. If there were actual quotes attributed to someone at Manure it would be quite a different scenario of course, but in this case I honestly can't see why Roy should even bother.

Well there were no quotes with the Torres to Utd thing or Rijkaard coming to Liverpool but he felt the need to comment about those.