Pepe Reina criticises Liverpool for manner in which he was loaned to Napoli

Pepe Reina has issued a parting shot at Liverpool after confirming a year’s loan at Napoli, claiming he was not informed about negotiations with the Italian club until a deal was agreed.

Disappointed: Pepe Reina is upset that he wasn't consulted about his loan move to Napoli Photo:

Liverpool moved to sign Simon Mignolet as the new first choice goalkeeper during the summer, after which it was clear offers would be considered for Spanish international Reina.

Manager Brendan Rodgers explained how he’d been informed Reina would find it difficult to reject a possible move to Barcelona and felt he had to act quickly to secure Mignolet.

Reina – who has spent eight years on Merseyside – evidently feels hurt Liverpool did not see the aborted move to the Nou Camp as a welcome opportunity to retain his services, or indeed extend his contract.

He currently has three years left on a lucrative deal he signed in 2010.

“If I have one regret, it is the way that I am leaving,” said Reina, in open letter to the Liverpool supporters.

“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. But I had also spoken to the club about the possibility of extending my contract if the offer was not made.
"I told the manager that I wanted to play for Liverpool and that Barcelona would only become an option for me if the opportunity arrived, like the rumours said it would, as it would be a chance for me to go back home.
"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.”
Reina, who shares an agent with Napoli coach and former Liverpool manager Rafa Benítez, lavished praise on Liverpool’s supporters but says he is looking forward to being reunited with his ex-boss.
“Napoli is a new challenge for me and I know that the fans are just as passionate about their team as the Liverpool fans, so I am really looking forward to playing for them this season and I will give my all,” he said.
“But none of this will change my feelings for the club or the people in any way and now I have to look forward to a new challenge with Rafa Benítez, who I consider to be the best manager I have worked with, and I am fortunate to be going from one great club to another.
"Napoli remind me in many ways of the Liverpool I found in 2005, in all the affection they have shown me on my arrival, in having an ambitious project, even in coinciding and working with Benítez again.”
Reina will return to Liverpool next season, although the nature of his comments effectively confirm he does not realistically expect to play for the club again