Reina May Leave Anfield In Summer

The Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina has indicated that he will consider leaving the club at the end of the season if he is not satisfied with their progress. The Spaniard has ruled out asking for a move in January but said he wants to feel certain that the team will challenge for major honours under the club's new owners, New England Sports Ventures. "I signed a six-year deal seven months ago and I'm happy at the club but every footballer wants to be competing for trophies and winning things," Reina was quoted by the Daily Mail. "I will stay at Liverpool until the end of the season. I know there are rumours of me leaving but I want to make it clear that I have no intention of going back to Spain." Reina has won only one major trophy, the 2006 FA Cup, since he joined from Villarreal five years ago, although he did play in the 2007 Champions League final defeat by Milan. He spoke glowingly of the club's former manager Rafael Benítez, who signed him. Benítez left last summer to take over at Internazionale and was succeeded by Roy Hodgson, who has overcome a difficult start at Anfield to record four straight wins, including Sunday's over the Premier League leaders and champions, Chelsea. "Rafael Benítez was an essential person for this club and the reason I came to Liverpool," Reina said. The goalkeeper recently held talks with Liverpool's new owner, John W Henry, as did the striker Fernando Torres, another player who has been linked with a possible move if the club's fortunes do not continue to pick up. Henry said he had been "heartened by the response" of Reina and Torres and "the intelligence of these players". The American described himself as "upset" at suggestions they could leave in January.