Liverpool's Brendan Rodgers: 'We want Pepe Reina off wage bill'

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has admitted that Pepe Reina's wages mean that it is too difficult to keep the goalkeeper at the club following the arrival of Simon Mignolet.

Rodgers said that Mignolet joined to provide the team with added competition, but the Reds have now decided to loan Reina out to Italian side Napoli.

"Reina's got a big season ahead because it's a World Cup year and one where, if he wasn't going to be playing, could severely harm his chances of going," Rodgers told the Liverpool Echo.

"Financially it is something we needed to look at. That would be the reason [for the loan] because obviously you wouldn't move on a top goalkeeper.

"It reared its head over the last few months and I had to prepare for it by bringing in a new goalkeeper. Pepe is a good guy. I've a lot of time for him, and he understands what I want to do totally."

Mignolet arrived at Liverpool from Sunderland for a fee of £9m.