Napoli’s loanee goalkeeper Pepe Reina has signed an agreement to join Barcelona, meaning his stay with the Partenopei will end at the end of the season.
Having joined his former manager from Liverpool this summer, Reina has agreed to go back to his homeland and his first professional club.
Reports in Mundo Deportivo state that the 31-year-old will make the move to the Camp Nou at the end of the current season, to replace current Blaugrana custodian Victor Valdes, who is expected to leave the club on the expiry of his contract.
Reina, whose father also played in goal more than 100 times for the Catalan side, worked his way through Barcelona’s youth system, making 30 appearances for the club before moving on to Villarreal in 2002.
A World Cup and double European Championship winner with Spain, Reina spent eight years with Liverpool, keeping more than a hundred clean sheets in his 284 games for the club.
After losing his place for the Reds to Simon Mignolet, Reina was encouraged to leave Liverpool this summer, and re-united with his former club manager Benitez. With Reina now due to move back to Spain in the summer, it seems their reunion will last for a single season.
Is barca stupid ? How can you use a 31 year old goalkeeper to replace a 34 to 36 year old Valdez. Buy young keeper that will last for us once and for all you can turn Macherano into a goal keeper. There are good keepers from even small clubs . Even in the English premiership clubs .
My assumption is that Barcelona try to maintain continuity, so Reina’s impressive distribution, learned at La Masia, will be helpful. Not a long-term answer, but an answer.