Rafa Benitez confirms Napoli ‘cannot afford’ Pepe Reina, and hints at his own future being back in the Premier League.
The 54-year-old spent six years on the Liverpool bench and more recently six months as interim manager at Chelsea and has admitted he would like a third stint back in England at some stage.
Rafa Benitez confirms Napoli ‘cannot afford’ Pepe Reina, and hints at his own future being back in the Premier League.
The 54-year-old spent six years on the Liverpool bench and more recently six months as interim manager at Chelsea and has admitted he would like a third stint back in England at some stage.
“Yes for sure. I’m really pleased with the [Napoli] fans, the city, the club, the Press – everything is fine there, but my family is living here [in England],” Benitez has told Talksport this week.
“My daughters are in school, they have to go to university here so my idea is in the future to come back.
“But still I will say I’m really pleased with things in Italy and I have to say thank you to them because they’re supporting me all the time.
“But in the end you never know. I have also been asked about [going back] to Spain, but obviously my family is in England.”
Benitez endured a difficult relationship with Chelsea supporters during 2012-13.
“Not just the fans [were happy]. My main concern were the players and the staff so the people around were really pleased. I still have a lot of contacts [there].
“Everybody could see it was a difficult time from the beginning, but we did well. We were professional, the staff and the board. The people around were happy with what we did.”
Benitez also commented on continued speculation over Napoli’s attempts to agree a deal to re-sign Pepe Reina from Liverpool.
For the tactician, the chances of the Vesuviani keeping hold of the Spain international look remote.
“Yes. Pepe has two years left on his contract at Liverpool. He has to go back and he’ll stay there. We can’t afford Pepe’s wages.
“The Premier League is a very big league and, in Serie A, we don’t pay big wages like in England. He will have to fight for his position at Liverpool.”
This follows Reina’s own hints to the contrary that the door to returning to the San Paolo for next season is not entirely closed.