Liverpool FC Forum

GYBS wrote:Rafael Benitez to fight off Barcelona bid to sign Pepe Reina - Liverpool FC latest

LIVERPOOL manager Rafa Benitez is getting ready to fight off a new round of unwanted advances from Barcelona – this time for goalkeeper Pepe Reina.

Barely a week after Benitez issued a robust hands off warning over midfielder Javier Mascherano, the Catalan club is being linked with a summer swoop for goalkeeper Reina.

Spanish publication El Mundo Deportivo claim that Reina may favour a return to La Liga after four years at Anfield.

The story surfaced after Barcelona’s current keeper, Victor Valdes – whose contract has only a year to run – reportedly demanded wage parity with Xavi Hernandez and a deal worth £150,000 a week. Nou Camp officials are unwilling to budge from an initial offer of £100,000 a week, and Valdes was immediately linked with a move Manchester United.

The promising but inexperienced Sergio Asenjo, 19, is Barca’s back-up keeper, but a Reina return to Catalunya would be appealing in Spain.

Reina rose through the Barca ranks and made 30 first team appearances before leaving to join Villarreal in 2002.

Reina, however, has only recently spoken of his happiness at Anfield.

“I am only 26 so still have a pretty long way to go. Hopefully that will be with Liverpool,” he said.

A regular winner of the Premier League’s Barclays Golden Glove prize, he missed out by one shut-out last season to Manchester United’s Edwin van der Sar, the first time in his Anfield career he has not carried off the clean sheet award.

“It would have been nice, but it wasn’t to be,” he explained.

“It makes me happy that people cannot remember too many big mistakes I have made. I was personally unhappy with myself in the Champions League quarter-final at Chelsea. I shouldn’t have been beaten at the front post like that.

“But apart from that and the penalty at Old Trafford, I can’t think of many other games where I was really unhappy with my performance last season.”

Reina insists he has unfinished business at Anfield, with the Premier League title still his major priority next season.

“I had a little challenge going with Petr Cech last season where we’d see who could concede the least goals,” he explained.

“Despite our club rivalries we’re both in the goalkeepers’ union.

“We’d sent text messages to each other about the clean sheets as well. But I told him I would swap all of my clean sheets for his league titles. “All we want here at Liverpool is to win the Premier League. I’d prefer to win every game 3-2 if it meant we won the title at the end of the season.”

Meanwhile Juventus have yet to make a decision on whether to sign Liverpool left-back Andrea Dossena, according to the player’s agent.

The Italy international has been linked with a return to Serie A this summer after just one season in the Premier League.

Juve have reportedly expressed an interest in acquiring the 27-year-old but no offer has been made. Dossena’s agent Roberto La Florio said: “At the moment, there are no updates. The Bianconeri club (Juventus) have yet to decide whether to consider my client or (Lyon’s) Fabio Grosso.

“If they decide to target my client then we would evaluate the offer.

“He (Dossena) is happy at Liverpool but Juventus is Juventus, and he’s a little nostalgic for Italy.”

lakes10 wrote:

simolonge wrote:

lakes10 wrote:

Bad Bob wrote:Would be a terrible move for him and for England.  And we can't afford to spend money on a keeper of his calibre just to sit on the bench.

who says he has to sit on the bench, 5 games each best man wins.


hell you can tell that the football seasons over, i am diiging deep for something to talk about.

you slate Rafa for his selection polocies and resting players (styling BigMick) yet you advocate giving two keepers five games each to see who is the best ?

As StuTheRed would have said "GET A CLUE"

did someone get out the wrong side of the bed....you poor thing, tell yourself that " i love you " 3 times and you might feel better.


anyway things have moved on, our keeper looks set to leave and we need a new one, is it time to put a bid in for Green.

simolonge wrote:

lakes10 wrote:

simolonge wrote:

lakes10 wrote:

Bad Bob wrote:Would be a terrible move for him and for England.  And we can't afford to spend money on a keeper of his calibre just to sit on the bench.

who says he has to sit on the bench, 5 games each best man wins.


hell you can tell that the football seasons over, i am diiging deep for something to talk about.

you slate Rafa for his selection polocies and resting players (styling BigMick) yet you advocate giving two keepers five games each to see who is the best ?

As StuTheRed would have said "GET A CLUE"

did someone get out the wrong side of the bed....you poor thing, tell yourself that " i love you " 3 times and you might feel better.


anyway things have moved on, our keeper looks set to leave and we need a new one, is it time to put a bid in for Green.

As I said - clueless.

Our keeper looks set to leave ?

so does Nando, MAsch, Alonso, Arbeloa, Bennynoon and The Doss if you use your source of the papers. DONT BELEIVE EVERYTHING YOU READ IN A NEWSPAPER OR ONLINE.

I just hope you never used to read the Daily Sport mate - otherwise you will still beleive there is a double decker bus parked on the moon.

Homebooby wrote:Anyone enjoying the fact that half the world seems to want our players? That's got to say something about the progression we've made. Certainly wasn't the case 5 years ago