Cavalieri set for Cesena exit

Liverpool goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri is set to move to newly promoted Serie A side Cesena after Thursday night’s Europa League clash with Trabzonspor.

The Brazilian stopper has deputised to Pepe Reina over the past three seasons and now feels he needs to move in order to gain first-team football again.

Manager Roy Hodgson confirmed the move, saying “Diego will travel to Cesena after the game tomorrow night for a medical.”

“He’s a very good goalkeeper and a very good person, but he made it clear to me at the start of the season that after three years of watching Pepe play every week he might, if he’s not careful, lose his goalkeeping ability or his status as a first-team goalkeeper.

“He made it clear he’d like to leave and find a club where he’ll be able to play on a regular basis, so we set about the task of finding someone we thought would be as good a complement to Pepe Reina as Cavalieri has been.

“Diego has done a marvellous job for the last three years,” he said.

Hodgson explained that Cavalieri’s desire to move on is the reason for bringing in former Middlesbrough keeper Brad Jones to provide back-up for Reina. “That’s why Brad Jones has come in. He’s the man we’ve chosen to back up Reina, put him under pressure and, most importantly, be ready to play.”

Cavalieri was signed from Palmeiras in 2008 and has made 10 appearances for the club, but none in the league.