Pepe Reina has written a goodbye letter to Liverpool fans ahead of a move to Napoli and explained that Barcelona did not come in with an offer for him.
The goalkeeper was linked with a return to the Camp Nou this summer, as a replacement for international colleague Victor Valdes, who will not renew with Barca beyond June 2014.
However, with a loan move to Napoli now lined up, the 30-year-old has hit out at Liverpool for the manner of his exit, admitting that he felt only a move to Barca would have seen him leave this summer.
“If I have one regret, it is the way that I am leaving,” wrote Reina in an extensive posting on his official website today.
“It is only natural that I would be disappointed that the Liverpool management agreed to loan me to Napoli without telling me first, I thought that I deserved better than that even though I understand that difficult decisions have to be taken in football.
“A lot has been made about me informing the club that if an offer came in from Barcelona that I would have liked them to consider it. But I had also spoken to the club about the possibility of extending my contract if the offer was not made.
“I told the manager that I wanted to play for Liverpool and that Barcelona would only become an option for me if the opportunity arrived, like the rumours said it would, as it would be a chance for me to go back home.
“When it didn’t come I was happy to fight for my place so I was surprised that Liverpool decided it was in the club’s interests to send me to Napoli instead.”
