According to a number of reports, Liverpool are bracing themselves for a bid from Barcelona for Spanish goalkeeper Pepe Reina. Barcelona’s current number one, Victor Valdes, has revealed he has no intention of extending his contract at the Nou Camp, beyond 2014 – thus Barcelona are in the market for a new shot stopper.
In all honesty one of the few weak links in the Barcelona set up has always been Victor Valdes and many will not be too sad that he’s departing. He has made countless errors in what is an almost perfect team. Although Pepe Reina is a fantastic proven goalkeeper, in recent seasons errors and fumbles have crept into his game and in my humble opinion, the following three goalkeepers are better options for Barcelona than the Liverpool shot stopper.
Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea on loan at Atletico Madrid)
At the tender age of 20, Courtois is one of the hottest prospects in European football, it’s no secret that Chelsea see him as the ideal replacement for current number one Petr Cech, but how long can Courtois wait? Having been shipped out on loan to Atletico Madrid for the past two seasons, Barcelona have witnessed first hand the talent the Belgian has. For someone so good and so young, Barcelona may have to break the bank to secure his services, but in the long run it will be worth every penny.
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen (Borussia Monchengladbach)
Having made his way from Germany U17’s to the German national team and making over 50 appearances for Borussia Monchengladbach, it is hard to believe that Marc-Andre Ter Stegen is only 20 years old. Having been compared to German goalkeeping legend Oliver Kahn, Marc-Andre has the world at his feet. During a 16 game spell last season, Ter Stegen managed 11 clean sheets with an 83% save percentage rate. The stats speak for themselves.
Tim Krul (Newcaste United)
Tim Krul moved to the North East in 2006 from hometown Dutch club ADO Den Haag. However it took a little over 3 years for Krul to finally make his debut. After injuries to Newcastle’s first choice, Steve Harper, Krul took this chance by the scruff of the neck and soon became the Magpies number one. Now 24 years of age, Krul has still to reach his peak and with reported interest from Italian giants Juventus, he may well be on his way out of the North East very soon.
With all due respect to Pepe Reina, it seems he is past his best. If Barcelona do sign him it would by no means be a bad signing, but on value for money and longevity the three above options would be a wiser choice.