Napoli manager Rafa Benitez has not ruled out the possibility of the club making an offer to Liverpool for the permanent transfer of goalkeeper Pepe Reina, who is on loan at the club till the end of the season. After falling out of favour following the arrival of Simon Mignolet, Reina joined Napoli in the summer on a season-long loan deal. He has performed exceptionally well during this period. It has prompted rumours that he may stay at the Italian club on a permanent basis. Meanwhile, the have been rumours about Reina becoming a transfer target for Barcelona, who were searching for a replacement for Victor Valdes.
After they have decided to bring in Marc-Andre ter Stegen for around £ 10 million, their interest in Reina has come to an end. The presence of Mignolet as the number one at Liverpool also makes a return to Anfield impossible for the Spaniard. As a result, it is quite conceivable that he may stay at Napoli provided the club makes a € 6 million offer for the 31-year-old. Benitez was the manager responsible for bringing Reina to Liverpool. However, after his exit, the performances of the Spaniard have dropped considerably, but it has improved once again after being reunited with Benitez.
“He reads the game very well and is one of the best goalkeepers in the world. Will he stay at Napoli? He has a clause and we know it – meanwhile he should continue to do well until the end of the season,” said Benitez after a recent match. It is also understood that in recent weeks that Reina has a release clause that allows him to join other clubs provided they pay a fee of around £ 4 million. It is highly likely that Napoli will not think twice about paying this fee.