MIDDLE MAN JOE IS WANTED BY HIS FORMER CLUB SWANSEA

RUSSELL Martin has gone on record that he wants to sign Joe Allen for Swansea this summer.

Allen is coming to the end of his contract at Stoke City, who he has captained to a 14th-place finish in the Championship season capped by a 1-1 home draw with Coventry. He is wanted back at his first club Swansea, who have finished in 15th, while Stoke have also held talks and there is other interest.

Swans boss Martin says he is sure that Allen will not be lacking in demand but hopes that he can persuade him back to the Liberty Stadium if everything falls into place. He said: “Brilliant player, brilliant character. I watched him for Wales. He was excellent, the way he spoke to other players as well. “He loves this club, I love him as a player. I will say it. I would love to [sign him]. We’ll have to wait and see. It will depend on a lot of things. We have a lot of midfielders at the club. We have some midfielders that haven’t played very much. “People are going to have to leave for people to come in. But Joe is someone who would fit here perfectly. He knows the club, the club knows him. I am sure he has got plenty of offers and I am sure at some point we will sit down and have a chat about him.”

Allen has been a fixture in midfield for Stoke this season, having missed a large chunk of last term with a ruptured Achilles tendon. It is a pivotal time for Allen, who is hoping to help Wales qualify for their first World Cup finals since 1958. A play-off against either Ukraine or Scotland is scheduled for next month. He has already starred in two European Championships, being named in the Euro 2016 team of the tournament as they reached the semi-finals.

He made 150 appearances for Swansea, helping win promotion to the Premier League and coming to prominence under Brendan Rodgers, who then took him to Anfield. He had the option to join Stoke or Southampton - then two seemingly stable top-flight clubs - to play more regularly and was wooed by Mark Hughes.