Pepe Reina admits that his Liverpool exit was different to what he expected but he is not angry about his move to Napoli.

The Spain goalkeeper was loaned out to Napoli and only found out about the deal when things were at an advanced stage. Nevertheless, he has expressed his gratitude to Liverpool and is happy to be reunited with former Reds boss Rafa Benitez.

"I'm not angry with Liverpool - quite the opposite. I am very grateful to them for everything they have given me," he said in an open letter to fans via his website.

"My departure was different to what I expected, but I will always be grateful to them.

"This is the nature of football - when you are loved by a team, you really feel it, but when you go through bad moments, you are treated differently. In the end I will remember the love I felt from the fans for so many years.

"My time in England is where I have felt truly like a footballer and I have put my name among the best players. I'm very proud to have played almost 400 games with Liverpool.

"I'll remember the friends I made in and outside the dressing room. Trophies stay in the cabinet gathering dust, but friends are for life."

He continued, "The signing wasn't sealed, because you can't do that without the consent of the player, but it was at an advanced stage and I didn't know about it.

"Rafael Benitez is the best coach I have had. I don't know if I'd have joined Napoli without him being there. There are many positive things about the city of Napoli and they have a fervent support, like Liverpool's, but Benitez being there made it much easier for me to sign."