The Stoke City midfielder has been in fine form for the Potters this season.
Stoke City’s Joe Allen celebrates scoring their second goal with Ryan Shawcross
Stoke City manager Joe Allen has told the Daily Star that midfielder Joe Allen is a bit like Tottenham Hotspur star Dele Alli.
The Welshman joined the Potters in the summer transfer window in a big money move from Liverpool.
He arrived having enjoyed a fine summer with his country at Euro 2016, playing a key role in helping them to reach the semi-finals of the tournament.
Stoke City’s Joe Allen celebrates scoring their first goal
He has continued his form at the beginning of the season and is currently in the middle of a goal streak, scoring four goals in his last three games, as well as bagging a super strike for his country.
Hughes is obviously delighted with his man and says his work rate is very similar to that of Alli’s.
“Just watching Joe in training, you could see his anticipation and his awareness of where the ball might drop,” he told the Daily Star.
“He’s a bit like Dele Alli in that his work rate is huge. It’s one thing anticipating where the ball might drop but it’s another thing altogether being able to finish as well.”
Stoke City’s Joe Allen in action with Sunderland’s Didier Ndong
Allen was allowed to leave Anfield without much fanfare this summer after falling down the pecking order under Jurgen Klopp.
He was a fan favourite on Merseyside but struggled to get in the German’s team ahead of several other midfielders.
His form at present has shown that he perhaps should have been given a bigger chance to impress and Hughes suggests his former club may not have known what they had in him.
“He’s one of those players you kind of admire from afar, then Liverpool had a change of manager and Jurgen Klopp came in,” he added.
“Maybe they didn’t quite know what they had got in the building. It might be that they didn’t realise what they had. I was surprised when they let him go.”
Stoke City’s Joe Allen
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