It was announced yesterday afternoon that Liverpool have made another summer signing, Sunderland’s star goalkeeper Simon Mignolet. The Belgium international has continually impressed throughout his tenure at the Stadium of Light, and the Black Cats’ successful avoidance of relegation this season had much to do with their former No.1’s hot form.
But the move has raised serious doubts over the future of the Reds’ first team keeper, Pepe Reina. The Spaniard has vowed to remain at Anfield in a bid to fight for his place in the starting XI, welcoming the competition Mignolet would provide, however, with constant speculation regarding a move back to former club Barcelona that has been discussed in the tabloids since the January transfer window, it appears Reina’s stay in Merseyside is expected by the Liverpool management to come to an end this summer.
It begs the question whether Arsenal should once again attempt to lure the Spanish international to the Emirates. Arsene Wenger was in hot pursuit of Reina’s services two years ago, but an official £20million bid was turned down by the Reds, according to the shot-stopper’s autobiography. Should the Gunners reignite their interest this summer, now that Reina’s availability well known and his price-tag would be considerably reduced?
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Should Arsene Wenger wish to seriously impact the Premier League title race next season, he will have to find a better and more consistent No.1. At times this season, Wojciech Szczesny’s flap-happy attempted saves have been so poor that one could easily suggest that the Poland international is a part of an illegal match-fixing ring. The fact he was dropped for one of the most crucial games of Arsenal’s campaign, their second-leg Champions League clash with Bayern Munich, tells its own story of Szczesny’s woeful form.
But then again, how much consistency can you expect from a 23 year old between the sticks – he’s still a toddler in goalkeeper years, and the season previous was one of Arsenal’s top performers, claiming 13 clean sheets in 38 appearances for a team that is philosophically lapsed when it comes to defending. There’s plenty of reason to keep him on at the Emirates, whether he is made second choice or farmed out to receive equal game time at a lower level, as he could still develop into the top European keeper that many expect of him.
Therefore, one of the criteria in the search for a new goalkeeper must be age – Wenger needs to find a candidate that is already in his peak years, but will not be around so long that he heavily infringes upon Szczesny’s potential future at the Emirates. Reina will turn 31 by the end of the summer transfer window, but as we have seen from the likes of Brad Friedel, Mark Schwarzer and Jussi Jaaskelainen, the modern goalie can well extend his career into his early forties.
QPR’s Julio Cesar, who is edging on 34, would be naturally better-fitting as a short term solution, whilst still presenting a similar level of quality to his Liverpool counter-part, however, it would make sense to have Szczesny fight for his future place in the first team, rather than have it handed to him upon the Brazilian’s retirement without any sense of serious competition.
You’d assume with rumours linking Reina with a move to the La Liga Champions that the Reds’ ‘keeper would have spent the year in good form, but if anything it’s been another disappointing campaign from the Spaniard. Once again we have seen a season riddled with bloopers and individual errors, and Reina’s poor decision-making has lead to sticky situations in his own penalty area on more than one occasion.
Liverpool’s overall decline in quality since they were Champions League regulars has undoubtedly had an effect, but over the last few years, in my opinion at least, Reina has been a shadow of his former self, the one who finished up with 20 clean sheets amid his inaugural campaign in England, and had other European clubs spitting with jealousy over their failed attempts to sign the former Villarreal No.1.
It would make more sense for the Gunners to bring in a goalkeeper that overall isn’t at a stale point in his career, especially considering there a number of ‘keepers on the market this summer -for all the hype regarding a move back to Barcelona, Reina’s potential departure is undoubtedly saving some blushes at Anfield.
As previously stated, Julio Cesar will be available for relatively slim cost following QPR’s relegation campaign. The Brazilian comes with an abundance of experience, with five Serie A titles, seven auxiliary Italian trophies and one Champions League tile on his CV, and has continually impressed throughout his first year in England, despite the West Londoners’ dismal season. Similarly, with a year to go until the 2014 World Cup on Cesar’s home soil, the 33 year old will be more determined and motivated as ever to retain his spot as the first choice between the sticks in the Brazil national team.
Another ‘keeper rumoured to be available is Stoke’s Asmir Begovic. The Bosnian international was the Premier League’s most in-form goalie before the turn of the year, and his high level of performance only dropped upon the Potters’ descent into free-fall which cost Tony Pulis his job, with 12 defeats in their last 21 games. He was heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford in January, and Stoke’s contingency plan in signing Jack Butland has suggest to many that Begovic will be window-shopped this summer in order to add considerably to the transfer kitty at the Britannia.
Measuring in at 6 foot 5, Begovic’s all-round game vastly outweighs Reina and Cesar’s, who are both lacking in height, and at the age of 26, the Stoke ‘keeper is yet to reach the height of his powers. However, bringing him in now would be a sizable nail in the coffin of Szczesny’s Emirates career, and although Arsene Wenger has vowed to spend big this summer, the Frenchman is unlikely to match the Potters’ valuation for Begovic, believed to be between £15million and £20million.
Outside the realms of the Premier League, there are also plenty of options. Galatasaray’s Fernando Muslera is fast growing a reputation as being the best goalkeeper outside of Europe’s conventional top flights, Marc-Andre ter Stegen would be a great signing for any continental super power that would also provide great longevity at just 21 years of age, and Barcelona’s outgoing Victor Valdez would bring a wealth of experience to the Gunners roster, although his actual abilities are often open to debate.
The final decision regarding whether or not Wenger will make a move for Reina will depend on two things; potential fees, and how he sees Wojciech Szczney’s future panning out. Whilst the Arsenal boss has vowed to spend big, the Gonzalo Higuain deal, at a cost of £22million plus agent fees, will consume a large chunk out of the transfer budget, and the Argentine will likely be the club’s single excessive purchase this summer.
Reina will undoubtedly be available at a discounted rate following the arrival of Mignolet, however it may still not equate to Wenger’s traditionally tight valuations, especially considering the Spaniard still has three years left on his contract at Anfield.
But even so, in my opinion, Reina does not represent the best candidate to take the Gunners forward. He’s been off the boil for the best part of two years, and it makes little sense for a Champions League club to take a Europa League club’s off-cuts. Should the plan be to retain Szczesny for the future, the obvious choice is Julio Cesar.
The QPR keeper will undoubtedly be the cheapest available in the summer, and arguably performed at a more consistent level than Reina throughout the year. The 33 year old has an infinite wealth to share with Szczesny as his understudy, and even if he remains at the Emirates for a single season, it will be the strongest campaign of his career, desperate to impress Phil Scolari as we enter the home stretch before the 2014 World Cup.
Should Arsene Wenger make a move for Pepe Reina?
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