PEPE REINA is set to bid farewell to AC Milan with a move to Lazio on a two-year contract on the cards.
The veteran goalkeeper has reportedly agreed to a transfer to the Milan club’s Serie A rivals, according to Sky Italy.
A yearning for Champions League football is reported to one of the reasons for Pepe Reina’s move to Lazio from AC Milan[/caption]
Reina, 37, spent the second part of last season on loan to Aston Villa, where he helped the Midlands club avoid the drop into the Championship.
The former Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Napoli player kept clean sheets against Crystal Palace and Arsenal in two of Villa’s remaining four Premier League games last term.
Reports in Italy claim Reina, who won an FA Cup with Liverpool in 2006, will undertake a medical at Lazio later this week.
The Rome-based club finished fourth in Italy’s top football division and just five points behind Serie A champions Juventus.
It is thought the lure of playing Champions League football was a critical part of the former Spain international’s decision to switch clubs.
And Milan, who have won the contest seven times, failed to qualify for the competition this term after finishing sixth in Serie A last season.
However, the former Anfield stopper, who was the San Siro side’s No2 goalkeeper behind Gianluigi Donarumma, is likely to play back-up to Lazio’s first-choice Thomas Strakosha.
Reina, who signed for AC Milan in 2018, has made just 13 appearances for the Italian giants in all competitions.
Pepe Reina, who was on loan at Aston Villa for part of this season, helped the club to avoid relegation to the Championship[/caption]
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And the club, who won their last Serie A title back in 2011, are reportedly seeking to sell their No2 stopper who is set to enter the last year of his current contract.
Reina’s wish for first-team action saw the former Anfield star make a short term switch to Villa Park to cover for the club’s injured stopper Tom Heaton.
And the Spaniard made 12 Premier League appearances for Aston Vila helping the side battle their way safety and avoid relegation.
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By: Sandra Brobbey
Title: Pepe Reina set to complete two-year Lazio transfer from AC Milan after spending time on loan at Aston Villa
Sourced From: www.thesun.co.uk/sport/12477994/reina-lazio-milan-aston-villa/
Published Date: Sun, 23 Aug 2020 19:04:30 +0000
