Manchester City have been dealt a huge blow in their pursuit of Napoli goalkeeper Pepe Reina, as reports emerge of the 35-year-old closing in on a contract renewal with the Serie A club. The Manchester outfit are desperate to add in another custodian this summer as manager Pep Guardiola is mulling over letting Claudio Bravo go.
The Chilean had a disastrous debut campaign in England last season where his leaky goalkeeping cost City some crucial games and points in the league. Ultimately, Guardiola had to resort to Willy Caballero, who was more than assuring in City’s resolve to land a top-four finish. With Ederson already as the first choice for City now, Guardiola is willing to have an experienced back-up for the young goalie.
And Reina’s increasing possibilities of leaving Serie A had made him the perfect option to suit the role, However, now with reports claiming otherwise, Guardiola will have to find a replacement and fast. The Spaniard is used to deploying different goalkeepers in different competitions and with Ederson a regular in the league, the second-choice could expect to land Champions League games under his belt.
Here are 3 replacements, Guardiola could go for now-
Kasper Schmeichel- The Danish international has been one of the top targets for many big sides in the Premier league side. After Leicester City’s title-winning trance fizzled out last season, the club is facing a lot of problems holding on to their players. And Schmeichel could be one of them. He was in huge demand last summer, which obviously has dwindled following his average displays last season. But, he could still be a top choice for many big clubs competing in multiple big tournaments. Schmeichel’s brilliant Champions League display, where he helped Leicester City go past La Liga side Sevilla didn’t go unnoticed and City could get help from that.
Alphonse Areola- Though it will be difficult to convince him to play the second fiddle to Ederson at Etihad, guaranteed Champions League game time could do the trick. The 24-year-old is already the second choice to Kevin Trapp at Paris Saint-Germain and is seeking more regularity ahead of the World Cup year. And regular action on European nights could be a big lure. He has been decent for the Ligue 1 giants last season conceding 21 goals in 22 league games.
Jack Butland- A difficult catch by all means as Stoke City aren’t going to part ways with their best talent easily, but City are experts in over-splurging. The 24-year-old is definitely the future of England and he has shown what he is capable of in his previous stints with Derby County and Leeds United. However, he has had a quiet season at Bet365 Stadium the last term owing to the horrific malleolar injury that sidelined him out for over a year. Hence, while getting him would definitely be a gamble, the incredible talent is worth it.
