Swansea will need to put in a bid of more than £13m to winAllen away from Hughes’ Potters
SWANSEA CITY will have to table a bid in excess of £13 million if they are to secure a homecoming for midfielder Joe Allen.
Reports in Liverpool say that the Reds are in advanced talks with Stoke City, managed by former Wales boss Mark Hughes, who have emerged as surprise front-runners to capture the Welshman’s signature after meeting the Reds’ valuation.
Having seen an initial bid of £8m rejected last month, the ball is now in the Swans’ court and they must beat The Potters’ bid or risk missing out on one of their top summer targets.
The 26-year-old’s future has been the focus of much speculation this summer after stellar performances at Euro 2016 in France, when Wales reached the semi-finals where they lost to eventaul winners Portugal, saw him named in the team of the tournament.
He was one of they key cogs in Chris Coleman’s machine, going quietly about his business and earning Wales a crucial foothold in the middle of the park.
Since that historic Euro 2016 run came to an end, many Reds’ fans had resigned themselves to the idea that Allen’s exit was inevitable, with legend Jamie Carragher admitting he thought the Welshman had played his last game for the club.
Allen struggled to nail down a starting spot under Jurgen Klopp last season and was due to hold talks with the Liverpool boss as he entered the final year of his contract with no new deal on the table.
The midfielder, who cost Liverpool £15m when he signed from Swansea four years ago, has made 132 appearances for the Reds and is no longer content with warming the pine.
The Swans have been on red alert since his situation became apparent, but it seems that a Liberty Stadium return - that would delight the club’s fanbase - is in serious jeopardy.
One shred of hope for supporters will come in the form of the club’s new American investors who are in South Wales to put the finishing touches on their takeover.
With the new owners about to come on board, fans will hope to see an increased investment in the squad before the summer transfer window closes in September.
But with Bafetimbi Gomis seemingly on the verge of becoming the third striker to leave the club this summer, they are likely to invest more heavily in a new striker as opposed to a midfielder - a position in which their stockpile is relatively healthy.