“I Have To Go Back” – Experienced Villa Player Expects To Move On At The End Of The Season
Our January capture of former Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina on a loan spell from AC Milan left many fans with mixed feelings on the move. Although we had lost Jed Steer and Tom Heaton to injury, Orjan Nyland had stepped up and impressed and 37-year-old Reina himself had been somewhat inconsistent over his six appearances before football was cancelled.
It was believed originally that we had an automatic buy clause written into the loan but that was dependent on us avoiding relegation.
Will Reina Be A Loss Next Season?
In a recent Instagram Live (via The Mirror) with the Spanish stopper, he seemed to rubbish suggestions that he would remain in Birmingham for the next season or two, insisting he had to return to AC Milan and then he would likely be looking to retire and take up a future coaching career.
“After the loan spell with Aston Villa, I have to go back. I think it will be tough. I have 1-2 years left in my career. I think my time in football will end after next year in Milan. You never know in the future, but as a player I won’t have a chance. As a coach, who knows.”
It’s not the first time Reina has commented that he expects to return to Milan when the season came to an end and whilst plenty might consider him decent backup to Heaton moving forward, we are well stocked in the goalkeeping department so something has to give on numbers – regardless of what our 2019/20 future holds.
Savo Milosevic arrived at Villa Park in the summer of 1995, which club did we sign him from?
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