Pepe Reina Future Up In The Air After Napoli Deal Fails

For months, the assumption for the Liverpool fanbase is that Pepe Reina would be back in Naples next season. He just completed a year on loan with Napoli, seemed to enjoy himself, and the club wanted him back. It seemed like a win-win all around

Now, all that has changed.

According to quotes from Reina's agent to the Italian media, it sounds like negotiations to send Reina to Naples on a permanent deal have broken down."It's very difficult for Pepe to remain at Napoli. From June 30, he will return to Liverpool because they want to maximise his sale, and Napoli are not willing to spend what is required."

That all suggests that Napoli are unwilling to meet the roughly €5 million release clause that was reported to be on his contract a few months ago. Considering that Reina had an inconsistent season and won't come down off his massive wage demands, it's probably not surprising that they wouldn't want to pay the full fee.

Now that leaves things in a pretty massive state of flux. If the club that's been mostly tied to him for the last year won't pay his release clause, who will? Heck, who's even going to be interested that can afford his wages and has a goalkeeping opening? If Atletico Madrid manage to loan Thibaut Courtois again, there's no obvious fit out there.

Hopefully things get smoothed out somehow, but the feeling is there that this is going to get worse, and uglier, before it gets better.

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