Reina keeps Barcelona door open

Asked about the rumours earlier this year linking him with a return to Barcelona (read more here), Liverpool goalkeeper and Spanish international José Manuel Reina (26) has said in an interview with Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo that he wasn't contacted:

"That was just something of the transfer rumour mill, it's a way to put pressure by one of the parties involved.

For me it's an honour, it's nice to be linked with a club like Barça, but there was no contact at all. Having said that, the door will also be open, but not only the Barça's door. Well-educated people are grateful and I'll always be grateful to Barça. If one day I would return, I would be delighted."

Read more:
Who could replace Valdes?
Barcelona looking at possible substitutes for Valdes

Next season's team (1)

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona wants to sign five players this summer: a left back defender, a central defender, a defensive midfielder, a left winger and a centre forward.

They give an overview of how the "ideal" squad could look like next season.


Goalkeeper: Valdés
Back-ups: Pinto, Miño

The deal on the renewal of the contract of Valdés until 2014 has closed all negotiations with possible substitutes like Reina (Liverpool), Asenjo (Valladolid) or Diego López (Villarreal). Pinto will stay second goalkeeper. Barcelona considered to sign Moyà (Mallorca) to compete with Pinto, but he looks to be close to Valencia and Miño (Barcelona Atlètic) will be promoted.

Right back defender: Alves
Back-up: Puyol

Barcelona wanted to sign a back-up for Alves, but with Srna (Shakhtar) being too expensive and Bruno (Almería) having found a deal with Valencia, Puyol will act as alternative option on the right next season.

Central defenders: Piqué and Puyol
Back-ups: Márquez, Henrique, Cáceres, Milito, *new guy*

Piqué, Puyol and Márquez are expected to rotate as starters. The club considers to let Cáceres leave on loan. Henrique will do the pre-season with the first team but it's not sure if he will be able to stay. It's unclear when Milito will be back from injury. Because of all of these uncertainties, Barcelona is planning to buy a new centre-back. Chygrynskiy (Shakhtar) is the first option, Bruno Alves (Porto) the alternative.

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Barcelona planning six transfers
Guardiola wants larger squad and new players
The report of Txiki (1) : Three or four transfers

Barcelona looking at possible substitutes for Valdes

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that, although the renewal of Barcelona goalkeeper Víctor Valdés is the priority for the club, Barcelona is also looking at other options.

Liverpool goalkeeper and Spanish international José Manuel Reina (26 - picture), Villarreal goalkeeper and Spanish international Diego López (27) and Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz (28) would be the three names on the list of possible substitutes if Valdés wouldn't renew his contract this summer.

Diego López and Gorka have a buyout clause of respectively 35 and 30 million euro but Barcelona would try to lower those fees. The value of former Barcelona youth player Reina is being estimated at 20 million euro.

Read more:
Barcelona managing list of four goalkeepers
Barcelona not willing to accept Valdes demands
Scouting report recommends transfer Asenjo

Who could replace Valdes?

Madrid sports tabloid As claims that Barcelona will try to sign Villarreal goalkeeper Diego López (27) if the club cannot reach a renewal agreement with Barcelona goalkeeper Víctor Valdés (27) this summer (read more here).

Barcelona would in that case sell the Catalan goalkeeper in the summer and use the money to buy Diego López who would have a buyout fee of 30 million euro° but who could leave for 20 million euro°.

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that there's a list of four candidates in case Valdés would leave the club at the end of the season: Villarreal goalkeeper Diego López (27 - contract until 2014 - buyout clause of 35 million euro°), Liverpool goalkeeper José Manuel Reina (26 contract until 2012), Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz (27 - contract until 2011 - buyout clause of 30 million euro°) and Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech (26 - contract until 2011).

This led some media to again quote an interview Cech gave to Czech news site Idnes at the end of 2007: "In London I miss only my friends from the Czech Republic, otherwise I have got used to the way of life and my wife and I like it. So far I have been very happy at Chelsea and I have started to love the Premier League. But in the case of Barcelona showing interest, yes, certainly it would be worth considering. "

Read more:
Villareal goalkeeper Diego Lopez tops wish list
Valdes calm about renewal talks
Barcelona speaking with Cech and Buffon