Liverpool Transfers: I Wasn’t Consulted About The Loan Move, Blasts Pepe Reina And A New Left-Back Target

The so-called fluent loan transfer of Pepe Reina from Liverpool to Napoli has suddenly faced a storm. Pepe Reina has accused the Merseyside club for forcing him to join Serie A side Napoli. Reina has three years of contract left with Liverpool.

Joining the Premier League club from Villareal in 2005, Reina bagged the Premier League Golden Glove awards for consecutive three years. He was also the first choice of the manager until the end of last season. But the scenario has taken a massive turn after Rodgers signed Belgian goalkeeper Simon Mignolet from Sunderland. After having Mignolet aboard, Anfield officials were not eager to keep the Spaniard due to his colossal wages (£100,000 per week).

The transfer of Pepe Reina was in a stake for quite some time as he was linked up with Barcelona at the end of last season. He was quite excited about the prospect of being transferred to La Liga side, but the deal didn’t take place. In the meantime, after the arrival of Migonolet, Reina reluctantly nodded for his loan transfer due to fear of losing his place in the squad.

But he seems to be quite chafed with the decision. Quoted by the Telegraph,

“If I have one regret, it is the way that I am leaving,” Reina wrote on his official website pepereina25.com. It is only natural that I would be disappointed that the Liverpool management agreed to loan me to Napoli without telling me first.

“I thought that I deserved better than that, even though I understand that difficult decisions have to be taken in football. A lot has been made about me informing the club that if an offer came in from Barcelona that I would have liked them to consider it,” Reina said. When it didn’t come I was happy to fight for my place so I was surprised that Liverpool decided it was in the club’s interests to send me to Napoli instead.

“Although it was not my decision to leave I will accept it just like I have always accepted any decision that Liverpool have taken for me.”

Quite contrary to his disappointment, Reina would be pleased to re-unite with his former Reds manager Rafa Benitez who currently holds the managerial post of Napoli.

In other news, Brendan Rodgers seems to be determined to give Jose Enrique a competition this season. After Aly Cissokho, rumours are that Reds manager is currently having a look at Benfica’s Lorenzo Melgarejo. This 22-year old Paraguayan international has just one international cap against his name, but Liverpool is alleged to be proposing a loan transfer for the left back.

Quoted by the Guardian, Liverpool are trying to sign Melgarejo on loan, with a view to a long-term transfer, and, should Benfica accept those terms, would have to apply for a work permit because the defender has only one senior cap for his country.