‘I don’t see it as a sacrifice, signing for so long, and it doesn’t make any difference to me if some people are saying I could have had my pick of clubs across Europe.‘

Pepe Reina responding in March about reports of the club offering him a new contract at Liverpool which would tie him to the club until 2016.

In a season that has lurched from one disaster to another on and off the pitch, the one constant that Liverpool fans have been able to rely on this season is the indomitable, unflinching form of their number 25, goalkeeper Pepe Reina.

Bought from Villarreal in July 2005 for £7,000,000, the 27 year old son of former Barcelona and Atlético keeper Miguel Reina has been arguably Rafael Benitez’s most successful signing since taking over at Liverpool in 2004, possibly eclipsing even his close friend and global superstar Fernando Torres in terms of value.

Despite there not being a cigarette paper to separate Reina and Iker Casillas, worldwide recognition, as well as the Spanish No.1 spot has so far eluded the Liverpool keeper, as Casillas is an icon in his homeland, plays for THE Spanish glamour club, has the shirt and captain’s armband to lose and has a former manager in charge of the national team.

Whereas to a certain extent, playing for Liverpool, Reina is out of sight and mind for Vicente Del Bosque, whether that would change if he decided to return to his homeland is an interesting question, but not one I imagine Rafael Benitez, or any Liverpool fans would want to answer.

Which is why Christian Purslow, who appears to be in charge of contract negotiations at Liverpool, might be best served dedicating some of his precious time ironing out any issues with the proposed new deal and get it signed off as a matter of urgency, reciprocating the loyalty Reina has shown the club both publicly and privately.

It would also give long-suffering supporters something to cheer about, so desperate are they for something to celebrate as they endure the worst season in a decade, it may also go some way to reassure some fans that there is even the slightest chink of light at the end of what seems like an ever darkening tunnel.

Rated as head and shoulders above everyone else in the Premier League by his manager, Reina sits comfortably alongside Buffon, Casillas and Lloris as the one of the outstanding goalkeeping talents in European football.

Only a fool would think he can’t have been watching the Champions League quarter finals in the team hotel in Portugal during the week with a certain degree of envy, as the infinitely inferior Manuel Almunia and Victor Valdes both made errors at the Emirates, and wondering why he’s playing on a Europa League Thursday, and not a Champions League Tuesday or Wednesday.

As beautiful and effectively brutal as both Arsenal’s and especially Barcelona’s football can be, they both share a weakness between the sticks, both lack an authoritative, dominating presence in goal, one who controls his area and defence in such a manner as the Liverpool goalkeeper, whose massive frame belies his agility and speed over the ground.

You have to wonder what Barcelona were thinking, letting the then 19 year old Reina leave for Villarreal, especially considering one of his biggest strengths is the speed and accuracy of his distribution, especially when the alternative was the flashy but inconsistent and error prone Valdes.

The less said about Almunia the better

Luckily for Liverpool, Reina, not unlike Torres, seems to have found himself a second home in Liverpool, is happily settled, and enjoys the absolute adulation of the Kop, which has recently honoured him with a flag bearing his image sitting above the defiant caption “No Parasan” (None shall pass), a flag which lead the goalkeeper, who shares a genuine bond with the people of his adopted city, to invite Dan Wakefield, who commissioned the banner, to lunch at Melwood such was his appreciation of the gesture.

As well as being a dominant presence on the pitch, he is equally regarded and respected off it by his teammates, and has been suggested as future captain material by Steven Gerrard, footage of him on YouTube taken shortly after Spain’s European Cup triumph in 2008, leading his teammates as well as the whole city of Madrid in celebration, despite only playing one game, is testament not only to the effect he has on the morale of his teammates but also the respect he must hold in the dressing room.

But, again, just like Torres, despite how settled they may be off the pitch, or how adored they are on it, fierce ambition burns inside the 27 year old, and, again mirroring Torres, as he approaches the peak of his career, it is up to the club to match that ambition.

The two Spaniards, and arguably Javier Mascherano, are now just as important to Liverpool Football Club as the homegrown Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, and represent its future.

Whilst the spine of the club might be as strong as any other in Europe, there are some major changes that need to take place at Anfield over the summer, and if the right steps aren’t taken, and the right support offered, in the not too distant future Liverpool Football Club really could be staring into the abyss.

Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher may ultimately stay loyal, and at 30 and 32 respectively, aren’t getting any younger, and despite yet lacking the one prize they covet more than any other, their medal collection would be the envy of 99.99% of professional footballers.

Whereas by comparison Reina’s collection is meagre, and whilst he might not be given to rocking the boat publicly, the club would only have itself to blame if we are to have a repeat of the last 12 months which may ultimately lead for him to consider his future.

Even if Wenger and Guardiola both continue to ignore the obvious, Manchester United must surely be looking for someone to succeed the 39 year old van der Sar, AC Milan having relegated Dida to the bench are using veteran Christian Abbiati, and even Chelsea might be on the lookout to replace the increasingly erratic, hesitant and confidence shorn Petr Cech, even a hint that all is not well between the club and the best Liverpool goalkeeper in living memory could prove to be absolutely catastrophic.

There was a time when you only found out about a player’s contract when the ink was dry, but not for the first time in recent history the people at the top of the club are big on talking but short on delivering.

Talk is cheap.

Contracts, sadly, aren’t.

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