PEPE REINA is on the brink of a return to the Premier League at the age of 37 after agreeing to join Aston Villa on loan until the end of the season.
The former Liverpool goalie is scheduled to have a medical in the Midlands on Monday after Villa agreed loan terms with AC Milan for the veteran ‘keeper.
Pepe Reina is on the verge of a return to the Premier League after agreeing a loan move from AC Milan
Reina pushed Milan hard to get the deal across the line after he became disillusioned by making just five league appearances in two seasons for the Serie A giants.
With Tom Heaton ruled out for the rest of the season following surgery on a knee injury and back-up Jed Steer also crocked, Dean Smith desperately needed an experienced stopper to compete with Norwegian Orjan Nyland to become Villa’s go-to-goalie.
Nyland has excelled in Villa’s last two Carabao Cup ties against Liverpool and Leicester City and is likely to try and convince manager Dean Smith he should keep his place, when he faces Manchester City tomorrow.
However, Reina is a three-times Premier League Golden Gloves winner and has won the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup Super Cup with Liverpool as well as having European Championship and World Cup winners’ medals as part of Spain’s all-conquering national team.
Since leaving Liverpool, the 2010 World Cup winner has turned out for Bayern Munich and Napoli, before joining AC Milan in 2018.
He has been limited to just 13 appearances for the San Siro club, however, as he has acted as back-up to regular ‘keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Reina is well thought of on Merseyside, having made 395 appearances for the club between 2005 and 2013.
And he could make his return to Anfield on April 11, when Villa face Jurgen Klopp’s runaway leaders away from home.
AC Milan’s Pepe Reina puts his son Luca through his paces in goal practice
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
