Manuel Garcia Quilon, the agent of Napoli’s Spanish trio of Albiol, Reina and Callejon, has reportedly offered the services of Pepe Reina and Jose Maria Callejon to Barcelona.
Spanish newspaper Sport claims that Barcelona have been approached by Quilon for Callejon, who has had a very successful season in Italy, and Pepe Reina. Barcelona are ready to offer 18-20 million euros for the former Real Madrid man, who can play in midfield as well as in wings. However, Napoli and De Laurientes wants at least 30 million euros for the Spaniard he bought from Real alongside Higuain and Albiol in 2013. Pepe Reina will likely leave on a free transfer this summer. (via Calciomercato)
Callejon having come off the back of a very good season, where he scored 13 goals and had 13 assists in 47 competitive matches, is supposed to be sold to finance Napoli’s more ambitious transfer projects like Vrsaljko from Sassuolo.
Barcelona might find in the 29 year old Callejon an adaptable bench player and a proper replacement for the departed Pedro Rodriguez. The diminutive midfielder can be deployed in various roles in midfield and attack as he has played in both sides of the midfield as well as the attack under Sarri and his predecessors. Valencia also seem to be interested.
Pepe Reina, who has had an unimpressive season in which Sarri achieved a lot with a Napoli side that was not considered as title contenders at the beginning of the season, is likely to be on his way out, as the Partenopei look for younger alternatives. Perhaps Genoa’s Mattia Perin or Atalanta’s Sportiello will fill Reina’s shoes. The chances of the Catalan club however choosing to trust Reina’s skills are considerably less. Even if brought on, he will be the third choice goalkeeper with Claudio Bravo and Marc-Andre ter Stegen up ahead on the pecking order.
