Liverpool's Pepe Reina is set to link up with his former manager Rafael Benítez at Napoli on a season-long loan deal.

The Spanish goalkeeper's place at Anfield had looked increasingly uncertain since Liverpool signed Simon Mignolet for £9m from Sunderland in June and the prospect of having one of the club's highest earners on the bench appears to have forced a decision.

The Spaniard had been given time off after the Confederations Cup and was due to fly to Australia to link up with the Liverpool squad on their pre-season tour. The academy keeper Danny Ward will instead travel to Melbourne as back-up to Mignolet and Brad Jones.

Benítez turned to Reina after being frustrated in his attempts to sign Julio Cesar on a season-long loan deal from Queens Park Rangers.