Bizarre to say the least!

Sports News - October 23, 2008

The Rumour

Reports in Spain and Portugal claim Benfica have offered just 4m euros to buy out the remaining 75% of Atletico Madrid’s former Arsenal star Jose Antonio Reyes’s contract. The club has missed a number of deadlines imposed by Atletico in regards to the deal leaving the Spaniard’s career in limbo as he is not wanted in Madrid. Despite a spectacular fall from grace, Reyes is a talent and for such a small fee would hardly be much of a gamble for a number of Premier League clubs including his former side Arsenal.

The 25-year-old’s career has taken a downturn since leaving the Gunners in the summer of 2006 but surely a player of his age, quality and experience is well worth a gamble as the undoubtedly talented player looks to rebuild his career. Merseyside rivals Everton and Liverpool have reportedly enquired about his availability so a move back to the Premier League may now be on.

The Source: (Football Pools)

The Analysis

Now this is one of those rumours you don’t see coming, and one that could well be complete rubbish, but what the hell here it is anyway. Quite why Rafa would be interested in a player who has flopped everywhere he has been since he left Sevilla to move to Highbury five years ago.

The Spaniard struggled at Arsenal after a good start and was then farmed out to Real Madrid where he showed sparks of improvement and even won the La Liga whilst on loan at the Bernabeu, but spells at Atletico Madrid and now Benfica, have not borne fruit.

Liverpool may well be looking for some more natural width but I am fairly confident that any move to resolve that issue will not include a phone call to Mr. Reyes’s agent!

The Likelihood

Reyes to Liverpool: Zilch!

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