Pepe Reina has joined Serie A club Como as a free agent after leaving Villarreal.
The 41-year-old goalkeeper made 43 first-team appearances for Villarreal across two seasons but left the club this summer following the expiration of his contract. He has signed a one-year deal with Como.
“I arrive in a beautiful project, a family that continues to grow and tries to raise the bar every year,” Reina said. “I return to a league that I know well and that I know is very competitive, for my part I want to give my contribution to the development of this club.”
Reina began his career at Barcelona, where he played 49 matches before joining Villarreal in 2002 and becoming the club’s No 1 across three seasons before moving to Liverpool.
The former Spain international is most known for his eight-season stint at Anfield, where he made 394 first-team appearances and won four trophies, including the FA Cup in 2006, while he also won the Premier League’s Golden Glove award in each of his first three seasons in England.
He has subsequently had spells at Napoli, Bayern Munich, Milan, Aston Villa and Lazio, before joining Villarreal for his second spell at the club in 2022.
“We are thrilled to welcome Pepe to the club,” Como head coach Cesc Fabregas added. “He is a goalkeeper with great international experience and a very competitive mentality. For these reasons, I am sure that his contribution will help the team to grow and improve.”
Reina has made 977 appearances across his senior career at club and international level.
Como are back in Serie A, the top flight of Italian football, after a 21-year absence.
(Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
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