Pepe Reina’s rise rewarded by improved deal
Tony Barrett
Liverpool are set to reward Pepe Reina for his standing as one of Europe’s finest goalkeepers by offering him a new contract and a pay rise.
Reina, who joined Liverpool from Villarreal in the summer of 2005 for £6 million, has since gone on to establish himself as first-choice goalkeeper at Anfield and is viewed as the main challenger to Iker Casillas’s position with Spain.
In three out of the past four seasons Reina has won the Golden Gloves award for keeping the most clean sheets in the Barclays Premier League and Rafael BenÃtez, the Liverpool manager, is keen to tie up a deal securing the 27-year-old’s long-term future.
Reina signed a five-year contract in June 2007 and even though that deal does not expire until 2012, Liverpool are ready to offer him a two-year extension, complete with a salary increase, that would see him remain at the club until 2014.
Fábio Aurélio is another player who is likely to enter contract talks with Liverpool shortly. The 30-year-old defender, who has been called up by Brazil for their friendly match against England to be held in Qatar next month, is out of contract next summer.
Despite a string of injuries that have plagued him throughout his time at Anfield, BenÃtez still regards him as a valuable member of his squad and will look to ensure that Aurélio cannot walk away from Liverpool on a Bosman free transfer next June.
Liverpool have already concluded contract negotiations with one player. Damien Plessis, the France Under-21 midfield player, put pen to paper on a two-year contract extension before last night’s Carling Cup tie against Arsenal.