Pepe Reina

[baitman]

The guy's still a legend in my eyes and he stayed with us for much longer than most when we went to ****. Most of them jumped ship pretty quickly, but he stayed. He showed loyalty and he was just a great personality to have around.

top loyalty, right up until his agent sends a text about possible interest from barca. pepe would have ran barefoot to the airport.

[Cormack74]

Perhaps AM if the Curtois deal doesn't happen?

Good shout. Following on from his dad . . .

[Mostar]

He could easily end up there tho he'd need to take a significant wage cut for Atletico to sign him.

[Redspin]

Better than Grobbelar??

Nah not having that, late 80's Brucie was still better than Reina.

Clemence was miles better than either

[Charly]

top loyalty, right up until his agent sends a text about possible interest from barca. pepe would have ran barefoot to the airport.

Yeah, but Barca are his (and his dads) team. Its not like you or I or anyone else on here would not do the same if we thought Liverpool were interested in us if we played for another club. Not sure acting like a spurned lover is the best way to think of former players that gave you their best years.

Fair enough if the manager thinks he can do better. For me that is not Mig though.

[baitman]

Yeah, but Barca are his (and his dads) team. Its not like you or I or anyone else on here would not do the same if we thought Liverpool were interested in us if we played for another club.

true enough.
i only want whats best for LFC. never mind the years of loyal service.
i can fully understand pepe wanting to go to barca, be he must also understand he cannot continually get away with flashing his tits at them and expecting us to do nothing about it.

i think brendan has made the right move. we could not have allowed ourselves be held to ransom or left out to dry should barca have come for pepe and left us scrambling for a keeper at the last minute.
pepe bleating about being sidelined [or whatever he said] is too precious given he would have legged it if he had the chance.

[danperkins]

Is Reina good enough to be a starter at Barca? Hasn't played well in years, they could do a lot better IMO.

[Charly]

On the other hand, if he had kept his mouth shut and sprung us a last minute transfer request like Torres did, that would have been worse. At least he has been fairly honest about where we stand. The only problem is we ended up spending too cheaply on the replacement (not that cash was in abundance). We would have been better off keeping Reina until we had a cash offer. I thought Barcas interest had been and gone by the time we got Mig.

I would agree he is probably our best keeper (since Clemence who I never saw). Bruce is the only keeper I can remember seeing actually give away a corner because he was "bored". Makes you think...

[Mostar]

Is Reina good enough to be a starter at Barca? Hasn't played well in years, they could do a lot better IMO.

I cannot see him going there now. His form has been on decline and his wages are too high.

Courtois and Stegen have been the ones they have been linked the most and I expect one or the other to be their prime target in the summer.

[kingfunk]

He will be doing well to stay with Napoli beyond the summer.

[peekay]

Yeah, but Barca are his (and his dads) team. Its not like you or I or anyone else on here would not do the same if we thought Liverpool were interested in us if we played for another club. Not sure acting like a spurned lover is the best way to think of former players that gave you their best years.

Fair enough if the manager thinks he can do better. For me that is not Mig though.

I dont think it is about acting like a spurned lover.

Credit to Pepe, he did inform the club that if Barca was interested, so would he, which is fine.

Barca started dropping feelers but without doing much. Valdes wasnt interested in moving.

Brendan at that time had to do something to remove the uncertainty. Goalkeeper was too important a position. The last thing we needed was Valdes moving to Monaco at the last minute, Pepe agitating for a move, and us having the risk of starting the season with Brad Jones.

Suarez got away with it as he was playing like the top five players in the world. Pepe ( whom I think is the best GK I have seen at LFC in my lifetime) was definitely not in the top 5 or top 20 in the world. His form was on he decline. Maybe Brendan thought that the uncertainty was not worth the hassle and moved him on. It was unfortunate but I dont see a perfect resolution.

The only way I could have seen this being resolved was Pepe informing the club that he is no longer interested in Barca after they danced for like 3 months without putting in a bid. Barca wanted to have the cake and eat it too. I dont think they were 100% interested in Pepe but they kept him dangling and Pepe fell for it.

[peekay]

I cannot see him going there now. His form has been on decline and his wages are too high.

Courtois and Stegen have been the ones they have been linked the most and I expect one or the other to be their prime target in the summer.

Have you been following Serie A Mo?

I noticed that Pepe has not been a regular starter? Is it due to form, injuries, or do they have a keeper who is better than Pepe?

I agree with you that, if Pepe agrees to reduced wages a number of clubs will open up for him. At his current wage levels, it will be a loan deal only especially if Napoli is reluctant to do a deal.

[danperkins]

I cannot see him going there now. His form has been on decline and his wages are too high.

Courtois and Stegen have been the ones they have been linked the most and I expect one or the other to be their prime target in the summer.

[Cormack74]

I noticed that Pepe has not been a regular starter? Is it due to form, injuries, or do they have a keeper who is better than Pepe?

Both.

[Mostar]

I noticed that Pepe has not been a regular starter? Is it due to form, injuries, or do they have a keeper who is better than Pepe?

I agree with you that, if Pepe agrees to reduced wages a number of clubs will open up for him. At his current wage levels, it will be a loan deal only especially if Napoli is reluctant to do a deal.

He was hurt and his form dipped late in December that Rafa started using their second choice goal keeper Rafael Cabral primarily ever since.

It is only recent injury to Cabral (torn ACL vs Swansea away and is out for the season) that put him back in the lineup.