Dalglish deal tempts Liverpool star to stay
It appears to be a week of non-stop good news for Liverpool fans because within 24 hours of Kenny Dalglish's long-term appointment as manager, Pepe Reina has played down the idea of him following his compatriot and international team-mate Fernando Torres out of Anfield at the end of the season.
The Spanish shot-stopper, who has spent six years on Merseyside as the Reds' undisputed number one, had been quoted in his native press several times earlier in the campaign suggesting that he was concerned about the direction that the club were heading in since Rafael Benitez's departure.
That prompted rumours that the 28-year-old former Villarreal goalkeeper would consider a summer switch to Premier League rivals Manchester United or Arsenal, however the World Cup winner has indicated that he is enjoying life at Liverpool again, with his new full-time boss a major reason why.
He said: "I am looking forward to next season. 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 (extension) and all of the technical staff.
"We are heading in the right direction and we are optimistic. I think by making the right steps and taking them, we can all see the difference between now and then. That's why we are now optimistic about the future and are looking forward."
Reina also urged his team-mates to make sure that they beat Tottenham at Anfield on Sunday to guarantee a spot in next season's Europa League and give themselves a platform on which to build next term.
Spurs are enduring a dismal run of one victory in 13 that has seen them go from targeting the title a few months ago to suddenly being at risk of missing out on a top-six finish entirely, and as Liverpool have triumphed by an aggregate score of 13-2 in their last three games, they have to be fancied.
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Published: 15 May 2011
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