Liverpool release goalkeeper Padelli

Daniele Padelli today became the third goalkeeper to be released by Liverpool since the end of the season.

And the implications are that boss Rafael Benitez will either need to sign a number two for Jose Reina, or use England squad keeper Scott Carson as first-team substitute next season.

Padelli has now returned to Sampdoria after his loan spell at Anfield ended.

He played one senior match for the club, the final game of last season at home to Charlton, and was in the Champions League final squad.

Padelli, an Italy Under-21 international, was also a regular member of Liverpool’s reserve side, but Benitez has opted not to make the move permanent.

The Reds have also released former youth team keeper David Roberts, who played in the back-to-back FA Youth Cup-winning sides, while Jerzy Dudek has not been retained.

That leaves Benitez with Reina, and youngsters David Martin and Danish youth international Martin Hansen at his disposal.

So Carson’s position now becomes interesting. He will return to Anfield after a season-long loan at Charlton where he was a regular member of the England Under-21 side and was also in the senior squad.

The 21-year-old is believed to want another spell out on loan to further his international ambitions, and is unlikely to want to sit on the bench at Liverpool as Reina’s deputy next season.

But if Carson gets his wish to be loaned out, Benitez is likely to want a more experienced back-up than Martin or Hansen could provide.