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AC Milan Confirm They Will Sign Napoli Keeper Pepe Reina

AC Milan Confirm They Will Sign Napoli Keeper Pepe Reina

The former Liverpool goalkeeper will swap Serie A sides after Napoli's title challenge fell away late in the season.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

Napoli will look back on this season and think 'what if.' But already there are some big questions to answer for next season, starting with exactly who will be their goalkeeper with Pepe Reina set to move to Milan.

For the previous six years Juventus won Serie A, for quite a bit of that run it's been pretty easy for them. Napoli have been runners up for two of those years and in third place for two more of them.

This season the side from Naples looked for so long like they might break the Old Lady's monopoly on the Serie A title. Maurizio Sarri's side were so good for so long of the season and really put the pressure on, especially when they beat Juve 1-0 in April.

When Juve trailed 2-1 against Inter with minutes left it looked like Max Allegri's side may be throwing the title away. Then they came back to win 3-2, Napoli lost the next day and eventually it was seven in a row.

Now questions will be asked whether Napoli can go on to improve or will they fade away and things haven't started well. Talking to Tiki Taka, via Football Italia, AC Milan sporting director Massimiliano Mirabelli confirmed they will be signing Napoli number one Pepe Reina, saying:

"We had the opportunity to get him for free, and we think it was useful strategically. We'll have a lot of competition, Reina can help us off the pitch, in addition to his contribution on it.

"We need people with experience and he's one of those."

The former Liverpool goalie is extremely experienced. Image: PA Images.
The former Liverpool goalie is extremely experienced. Image: PA Images.

The 35 year old goalie has started 32 Serie A games for the Naples side this season but there's a good chance when he moves to the San Siro that he'll be number two, unless there's a bigger transfer to come.

19 year old Gianluigi Donnarumma is the main man between the sticks for Gennaro Gattuso's side and Reina would be a good addition to the squad and could be a great help for the youngster and Mirabelli rejected any talk of Donnarumma leaving, adding:

Reina will be behind Gianluigi Donnarumma in the pecking order. Image: PA Images
Reina will be behind Gianluigi Donnarumma in the pecking order. Image: PA Images

"I already told your other colleagues that it's not just down to Donnarumma, it involves everyone. A player has to come to us and tell us he doesn't want to stay, and that's not the case with Donnarumma.

"If that does happen, there would also have to be a club ready to meet Milan's asking price. For now neither condition has been satisfied."

The heir to the Buffon throne has long been linked with a move to Juve, Real Madrid or PSG.

It seems like this really was Napoli's big change to win the league and now it's all slipping away fast.

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Liverpool, Football News, Football transfers, Serie A, AC Milan, Juventus, Milan, Napoli, Italy