Newcastle United Transfers: 8 Players Benitez Must Sign This Summer
1. Pepe Reina
Newcastle have five senior goalkeepers on the books at the moment, but Benitez is still looking for another. Matz Sels has already left on loan, Freddie Woodman looks set to follow, and while Rob Elliot and Karl Darlow are both capable shot-stoppers, they're too flawed to rely on at this level. Tim Krul is the group's standout, but after a middling season back in his native Netherlands, it doesn't look like Rafa trusts him as a starter.
Several big-name 'keepers have been linked with a switch to Tyneside. Joe Hart is the latest, but with Manchester City reportedly demanding up to £20 million for the error-prone custodian, a move seems unlikely. Instead, NUFC should focus their attention to Pepe Reina, whose Napoli future remains up in the air.
The Spaniard might be 34, but he's exactly the kind of sweeper-keeper that Rafa loves to employ. Few goalies are as comfortable with the ball at their feet, and Reina has always been renowned for his distribution, which takes a lot of pressure off the backline. Furthermore, he proved over 48 games last season that he's still a very capable player at the highest level, and given his history with Benitez at Liverpool, signing Reina makes all the sense in the world.