Spaniard set to leave Anfield and link up with Benitez again.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has revealed that goalkeeper Pepe Reina is set for a loan move to Napoli, as the club are keen to cut their wage bill.
The Spanish stopper is expected to complete his season-long loan deal to the Partenopei next week, and will be reunited with Rafa Benitez after their time together on Merseyside.
Rodgers signed Simon Mignolet earlier this summer, and has revealed that he had been planning to offload the Spaniard for some time given that he earns such a vast amount.
“Financially it is something we needed to look at,” Rodgers told the Liverpool Echo.
“That would be the reason because obviously you wouldn’t move on a top goalkeeper. It reared its head over the last few months and I had to prepare for it by bringing in a new goalkeeper.
“Pepe is a good guy. I’ve a lot of time for him, and he understands what I want to do totally. He’s got a big season ahead because it’s a World Cup year and one where, if he wasn’t going to be playing, could severely harm his chances of going.”
It is understood that Reina currently earns £110,00 per week, but it is unclear at this stage as to whether Napoli will be asking the player to take a wage cut ahead of his proposed move.
He will join the club as a replacement for the out-going Morgan De Sanctis, with the Italian international left out of the squad for the pre-season friendly on Saturday night due to on-going negotiations with Roma.
Reina has established himself as one of the more reliable and consistent ‘keepers in England during his time in Liverpool, and he will now hope to become an important part of Benitez’s revolution at Napoli.
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