Liverpool open Reina contract talks as Valencia refuse to go away
Dominic Fifield
Wednesday November 29, 2006
The Guardian
Liverpool have opened negotiations with José Reina over an extension to his contract in an attempt to ward off persistent interest in the Spain goalkeeper from Rafael Benítez's former club, Valencia.
Reina, 24, still has well over two years to run on the deal he signed when he joined from Villarreal for £6m in the summer of 2005, but Valencia have contacted his representatives about a potential move. The implication is that they may try to sign him under the Bosman ruling when his Anfield contract expires, even though that is as far off as 2009.
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Benítez is keen to tie his goalkeeper down until 2011 at least. Reina, who kept 29 clean sheets in his first season at the club and has nine this term, is likely to see his salary increase, with Benítez encouraged by his return to form after a suspect start to this campaign, an initial sluggishness attributed to the World Cup finals.
"I'm really pleased with Pepé and we're talking to him about extending his contract here," said the Liverpool manager. "He's got two more years after this season, which is enough. But we're looking to extend it because we know there were some clubs asking about him and we don't want to sell him.
"We want to show we have confidence in him. When we decided to bring him here it was because we knew he was a very good goalkeeper but I also knew the person and his mentality. He's a very good professional, always joking in the dressing room. It's all very positive. He's getting back to his best, it's clear. He's better now and the team is better too. He needed confidence and, after two or three clean sheets he's back up there.
"He's still very young but, for me, he's one of the top three goalkeepers in England. In Spain now he's No1. Whether he plays or not for his country depends on the manager but, while we have some good goalkeepers in Spain, he's No1 as far as I'm concerned."
Liverpool will need him tonight as Benítez considers employing one of his trio of centre-halves as an emergency central midfielder because Boudewijn Zenden will undergo surgery today on a tear to the lateral meniscus in a knee. The Dutchman joins Mohamed Sissoko, recovering from a dislocated shoulder, on the sidelines and, with Xabi Alonso rated doubtful because of a hip injury, that leaves only Steven Gerrard available in central midfield.
Jamie Carragher has featured for England as a defensive midfielder and Daniel Agger could arguably be used in the role but the Liverpool manager's instinct is to go with Sami Hyypia in the position. "His was the first name that came into my head to replace Bolo," said Benítez. "People have been saying that Agger's emergence might mean the end for Sami but maybe he can play as a holding midfielder. I need to check whether he has the tactical movement and awareness you need playing there, but it's not difficult."
Benítez considering Hyypia for holding role as injuries grow
Oliver Kay
Barely a fortnight ago, Liverpool were so flushed with central midfield players that Steven Gerrard was wondering whether he faced permanent exile on the right wing. Now, after Boudewijn Zenden became the latest victim of an injury crisis that is sweeping Anfield, Rafael Benítez is so short of manpower that part of yesterday’s training session was spent with Sami Hyypia, the central defender, striving to reinvent himself as Merseyside’s answer to Claude Makelele.
Benítez, whose team play Portsmouth at Anfield this evening, has other options that may prove more palatable than the inclusion of Hyypia in midfield, but not many. Jamie Carragher, the subject of a 45-minute experiment in the holding role by Sven-Göran Eriksson when England played Hungary in May, has not played regularly in midfield for eight years, while Daniel Agger’s revelation that he had played there in his youth surprised even his manager.
The only other option — short of rushing Xabi Alonso back from injury — is Danny Guthrie, a 19-year-old who was pulled out of a reserve-team friendly against Marine last night as a precautionary measure.
Carragher is considered the most likely option against Portsmouth, forming an all-Scouse alliance with Gerrard in the centre of the field, but with Zenden undergoing surgery today on a knee injury and Mohamed Sissoko sidelined for a further six weeks at least after dislocating a shoulder, Benítez is giving serious thought to the unlikely reinvention of Hyypia, an old-fashioned centre back, as a holding midfield player.
“Honestly, the first name that came into my head to replace Bolo [Zenden] was Sami,” Benítez said yesterday. “People have been saying that Daniel’s emergence might mean the end for Sami, but maybe Sami can play as a holding midfielder. I need to check whether he has the tactical movement and awareness you need playing there, but it’s not difficult. You just need to be clever.
“What do you need to do? In Argentina, it’s their No 5, a holding player who is a centre back playing a bit higher. I spoke to Sami two or three weeks ago about that. Now I just need to think about which option to take.”
The notion that the job “is not difficult” will be news to followers of the England team who saw a variety of players — including Gerrard but also reluctantly converted defenders such as Gareth Southgate and Ledley King — try and fail to master the role before the belated emergence of Owen Hargreaves during the World Cup finals.
At least with Alonso on course to return from his thigh problem soon, having taken part in light training yesterday, Liverpool’s problem is short-term, even though Zenden and Sissoko will be out until the new year at the earliest.
Benítez said yesterday that the club have opened preliminary contract negotiations with José Manuel Reina after the goalkeeper attracted interest from Valencia. Reina has had an indifferent start to the new season, but six clean sheets in his past seven appearances in all competitions have strengthened Benítez’s view that the 24-year-old is among the best goalkeepers in the world, rating him higher than Iker Casillas, of Real Madrid.
“Pepe [Reina] is still very young, but, for me, he’s one of the top three goalkeepers in England and he’s the No 1 in Spain now,” Benítez said. “Whether he plays or not for his country depends on his manager, but while we have some good goalkeepers in Spain, he’s No 1 as far as I’m concerned.
“He’s got two more years on his contract after this year, which is enough, but we’re looking to extend it because we know there were some clubs asking about him and we don’t want to sell him. We want to show we have confidence in him.”
Benitez faces dilemma following Zenden injury
By Ian Whittell
Last Updated: 1:50am GMT 29/11/2006
In pics: Premiership action
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As Rafa Benitez, the Liverpool manager, fought one fire successfully yesterday, opening talks to keep goalkeeper Jose Reina at the club on an extended contract, another emerged from the direction of the Anfield treatment room.
Bolo Zenden
Bolo Zenden: will be out of action for at least a month
Liverpool face Portsmouth in the Premiership tonight without the services of Bolo Zenden who has injured the meniscus in his knee and will be absent from his team's fading Championship challenge for at least a month.
Such are the problems in central midfield for Benitez currently that the manager conceded yesterday that his impulse is to play central defender Sami Hyypia alongside Steven Gerrard in that position, although defenders Jamie Carragher, Daniel Agger or 19-year-old midfielder Danny Guthrie, whose first team experience is limited to two substitute appearances in the Carling Cup, are also alternatives.
"It's a big problem to lose Bolo," said Benitez. "He's close to all the players, a very good team man, and on the pitch he's a player who is very good tactically. "He had problems with his knee last year, too, and ended up being ruled out for six months. The other day, he felt something again - a crack - and now it's four to five weeks out again.
"The first name that came into my head to replace Bolo was Sami. Honestly! People have been saying that Daniel (Agger's) emergence might mean the end for Sami, but maybe Sami can play as a holding midfielder. I need to check whether he has the tactical movement and awareness you need playing there, but it's not difficult.
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"You just need to be clever. In Argentina, it's their number five, a holding midfielder, who's a centre-back playing a bit higher.I've spoken to him two or three weeks ago about that. Now I just need to think about which option to take."
Enthused as Benitez may have sounded about such a bold tactical shift, he is also clinging to the hope that Xabi Alonso may recover from his hip injury in time to return to contention although Harry Kewell, Mark Gonzalez and Momo Sissoko all remain sidelined for the medium to long-term.
Long-term was certainly the area in which Benitez was aiming in opening contract talks with Reina, already under contract until 2009 but, reportedly, the subject of overtures from Valencia.
"He's back to his best. You can see him, Carra, Gerrard and Xabi are all improving," said Benitez of his countryman. "They all needed a bit of time after the World Cup, but I'm really pleased with 'Pep' and we're talking to him about extending his contract here.
"When we decided to bring him here, it was because we knew he was a very good goalkeeper, but I also knew the person and his mentality. He needed confidence and, after two or three clean sheets, he's back up there. He's still very young but, for me, he's one of the top three goalkeepers in England.
"And in Spain, he's number one as far as I'm concerned.
"He's got two more years after this year but we're looking to extend it because we know there were some clubs asking about him and we don't want to sell him. We want to show we have confidence in him."
Not broadhseet, just of interest:
Reina coming back for more
By COLIN WOOD Last updated at 22:50pm on 28th November 2006
Liverpool are ready to give goalkeeper Jose Reina a new contract to tie him to the club for at least six more years, just weeks after he was tipped for an early return to Spain as he struggled for form.
Reina made a big impression after arriving from Villarreal last summer for £6million and was a hero of the penalty shootout win over West Ham in the FA Cup Final in May.
A series of blunders early in the present 24-year-old’s reputation and he was linked with Valencia and a number of other Spanish clubs.
Rafael Benitez did not lose faith, however, and after naming Reina in his side for tonight’s Anfield meeting with Portsmouth said he was confident the keeper would be staying for many years.
Benitez said: "He’s still very young but, for me, he’s one of the top three goalkeepers in England. Whether he plays or not for his country depends on the manager but, while we have some good goalkeepers in Spain, he’s No 1 as far as I’m concerned.
"He’s got two more years on his contract after this season. We’re looking to extend it because we know there were some clubs asking about him and we don’t want to sell him. We want to show we have confidence in him."
Benitez could spring a surprise tonight by naming Sami Hyypia, the giant Finn who has played all his career as centre back, in centre midfield in place of Bolo Zenden, who faces a knee operation and is likely to be out for six weeks. Jamie Carragher, Daniel Agger and teenager Danny Guthrie are the other options.
Benitez said: "The first name that came into my head to replace Bolo was Sami. People have been saying that Daniel’s emergence may mean the end for Sami, but maybe Sami can play as a holding midfielder."
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