PEPE REINA is close to agreeing a new contract at Liverpool – as Rafael Benitez played down claims the club have been “disrespectful” in their pursuit of Sunderland’s Kenwyne Jones.

Reina has been in talks with club officials over a fresh deal to replace his current agreement, which expires at the end of the 2011-12 season.

The Spain international has proven a major success since his £6million arrival from Villarreal in the summer of 2005.

And Benitez is confident the new deal – which could extend his Anfield commitment to 2015 – will prove “easy to finalise”.

“We have been talking with the agents of some players and we are closer,” said the Liverpool manager.

“Pepe is one of these players but we have to have another meeting before we can finalise everything.

“I think it will be

easy to finalise and have an agreement.”

While Reina closes in on an agreement, talks over a new deal for Fabio Aurelio, who is out of contract in the summer, have stalled.

“The situation is still the same,” said Benitez. “I was talking with him and we have to talk again.

“We can’t do anything right now because he is not playing, he has had some problems with injuries and it has been really, really unlucky for him. But we just have to sit down and start talking.”