Report: Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez eyes fresh Pepe Reina move but needs £10m budget increased

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Newcastle United boss Rafa Benitez is hoping that he can finally get a deal done to bring Pepe Reina to St James’ Park this month.

According to a report from The Sun, Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez is plotting a fresh move for Pepe Reina this month and is hoping that doubts about his future at St James’ Park will convince Mike Ashley to increase his transfer budget slightly.

The Sun reports that Benitez wants to add a new goalkeeper on a permanent basis and sign a striker on loan this month and currently has a budget of around £10 million to work with for the stopper – and Reina is the player that he wants to spend those funds on.

The Sun adds that Reina has been a long-term target of Benitez’s – having worked alongside his countryman at Liverpool and at Napoli – but, once again, the Magpies’ current budget may not quite stretch to complete a deal for the World Cup winner.

Napoli are looking for more than £10 million for the 35-year-old, The Sun suggests, and that is where Benitez is hoping that speculation surrounding his own future may help convince Ashley to top his transfer kitty up as the Newcastle owner is fearful that his manager may walk if not given support in the window.

Goalkeepers can generally continue playing into their early 40s if they want to, so Benitez perhaps feels that Reina has a lot longer left in the game than many may expect.

Nevertheless, with a cluster of goalkeepers already in his squad, some Newcastle fans may be wondering whether spending what seems to be the entirety of the budget on a 35-year-old will be worth the outlay when there are perhaps more pressing concerns within the squad.

But perhaps Benitez may argue that, in today’s game, spending those funds on an outfield player is hardly likely to see him end up with a player who is good enough to bring something to the table and strengthen his strongest side as the Magpies look to ensure that they are not in relegation trouble this season.