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Liverpool’s recent summer business might be dominating the headlines, but plenty of former Reds are quietly carving out new chapters of their own across Europe including at Villarreal.
Dirk Kuyt is reportedly attracting serious interest as a potential managerial option for Fenerbahçe. The Dutchman previously played for Fenerbahçe between 2012 and 2015. He is currently the manager of FC Dordrecht.
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Former Reds defender Alvaro Arbeloa was dismissed from his role as Real Madrid manager earlier this week and has already attracted interest from Fulham.
Closer to home, ex-Liverpool coach Gary O’Neil has already been linked to the now vacant job at Ipswich Town after Kieran McKenna announced he would be stepping down.
But in more positive news, former Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina will be continuing his work in Spain with Villareal.
Villarreal have officially confirmed that former Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina will continue his work with the Juvenile A side, essentially the club’s top Under-19 squad in the youth academy.
The La Liga side put out a statement that the extension is for one more season into 2026/27 and provided an update on Reina’s progress:
“Villarreal CF have officially confirmed the renewal of the head coaches of their three main teams in the Yellows Academy. David Albelda, David Cifuentes “Cifu” and Pepe Reina have all extended their contracts with the club for one more season”
“After hanging up his gloves and transitioning to coaching, Pepe Reina has shown the same level of commitment from the sidelines. He will continue leading the Juvenil A after a memorable season. Domestically, the team secured a third-place finish in División de Honor, earning a place in next season’s Copa del Rey Juvenil.”
“However, what truly defined their campaign was their remarkable run in Europe. In the UEFA Youth League, Reina’s side won five of their six league-phase matches, finishing fifth overall. They went on to produce an exciting knockout-stage run, reaching the quarter-finals, placing them among the top eight teams in Europe, before eventually being eliminated by Paris Saint-Germain.”
After announcing his retirement in May 2025 following a final season with Como, Reina stepped straight into the job at Villarreal that summer ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.