Pepe Reina Moves To End Speculation over a Summer Transfer from Liverpool

What a week it has been for Liverpool. After starting the week with an impressive 5-2 win away at Craven Cottage on Monday—leaving Liverpool in fifth place after 13 goals in the last three games—and the inevitable announcement that King Kenny was given a three-year contract alongside Steve Clarke on Thursday, Pepe Reina has publicly announced that he is looking forward to next season at Liverpool, and that he is "Optimistic about the future."

Speaking on the Liverpool TV website, Reina said, "I am looking forward to next season. I have always said [that]—of course there was a bit of doubt back in December and January because we were not even close to where we are now.

"We have had excellent news on Kenny's contract, Steve Clarke's and all of the technical staff. We are heading in the right direction and we are optimistic." 

He also went on to talk about how "We all have smiles on our faces now," before claiming that Liverpool's target now is to beat Tottenham and secure European football for next season, while warning fans of "how hard it is to compete with the big teams out there," but that "Fifth position is not one that belongs to Liverpool."

The entire interview can be found here via Liverpool TV.

This is the news that Liverpool fans have wanted to hear for months now, with Reina asserting himself as one of the most important players at the club with his performances over the last few years, and fans holding him in such high regard as to be touted as a future Liverpool captain.

This does seem to indicate that he was seriously considering a move at one stage, but who can blame him? After all, he is a world class goalkeeper, and Liverpool under Roy Hodgson looked distinctly average.

Of course, this is not as definite an indication as, for example, signing a new contract, and anything can happen in the world of football, but this will give Kopites a welcome reassurance that one of our most important and most beloved players will still be between the goalposts at Anfield once the next season starts.