Stoke City’s Premier League relegation will likely see Joe Allen leave with West Ham, Wolves and Newcastle United all following his situation closely.
Joe Allen has gone from a player sarcastically referred to as ‘the Welsh Xavi’ to one of the most respected midfielders in the Premier League.
So much so that reports in The Sun that the midfielder could leave Stoke City for £20 million this summer should not raise too many eyebrows. Stoke might be relegated from the Premier League after 10 years in the top flight but no one could claim the tenacious, disciplined Allen did not do everything he could to keep the Potters up.
And while Stoke won’t be playing top flight football in 2018/19, Allen surely will.
The Sun states that West Ham, who made a bid in January, are interested again and will rival Wolves and La Liga outfit Sevilla. Newcastle United are also keen and, though Allen might not be a prolific goalscorer or the creative talisman The Magpies need, he would be worth Mike Ashley breaking the club’s 13 year old transfer record for.
At £20 million, Allen would cost narrowly more than the fee Newcastle paid to sign Michael Owen from Real Madrid in 2005.
And, on paper, the former Liverpool and Swansea favourite would be an immediate upgrade in the centre of the park, a true leader and an example for the young players around him to follow. He also looks a perfect Rafa Benitez signing, a player whose dedication matches his quality.
Allen would not necessarily be a statement, marquee signing but he would be exactly the sort of addition that would give Newcastle a backbone and a platform to push on.
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