Pepe Reina has officially signed a one-year contract with the Spanish team Villareal
after terminating his deal with Lazio. The 39-year-old Spanish shot-stopper finished the
season with the Biancocelesti and looked to stay for one more year after his contract
got automatically renewed post-Europa League qualification. But, he surprised the club
after terminating the offer at the start of this month.

Reina will turn 40 in August. He last played for Lazio in Italy after stints with AC Milan,
Aston Villa, Napoli and Bayern Munich.

On joining Unai Emery’s team, Reina will tend to serve as a back-up to the first-line
goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli after longtime Villareal goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo made his
move to Valladolid.

Reina started his footballing career in Barcelona youth academy. In eight seasons for Liverpool, he helped the team in winning the FA Cup in 2006 and the English Cup in
2012. He won the Bundesliga with the German Giants, Bayern Munich in the year 2015
and the 2014 Italian Cup with Napoli.

Reina also served as a backup for the Spanish National Team that won the 2010 World
Cup and the European Championship in 2008 and 2012.

As announced by Villareal, he has passed his medical tests with the Spanish club and is looking forward to training with them, giving him one last adventure following his Lazio departure.

The Spanish goalkeeper joined Lazio on a free transfer in September 2020 after leaving
Milan on a free transfer. He took Thomas Strakosha’s starting point under the previous
coach Simone Inzaghi but ultimately lost out as the season developed under Maurizio
Sarri.

Reina made 54 appearances across all competitions for Lazio, a total of 4890 minutes.

In that time he conceded around 89 goals and kept 12 clean sheets.