Tottenham Hotspur can reportedly sign Stoke City’s Joe Allen for £25m.
Stoke City’s relegation from the Premier League was confirmed last weekend, and they face losing a host of players who don’t want to feature in the Championship next term.
The Potters’ 2-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace last weekend sealed their fate, and they play their final Premier League game with a trip to Swansea City today.
Paul Lambert may not keep his job, and the likes of Jack Butland, Badou Ndiaye and Xherdan Shaqiri may be eyeing moves away to Premier League clubs rather than play in the second tier.
Another player who could be eyeing a Premier League return is midfielder Joe Allen, who has contributed eight goals and eight assists in 71 Premier League games for Stoke since his 2016 move from Liverpool.
The Telegraph now report that Allen can leave Stoke for £25million due to a clause in his contract, but only to a top six team, and not to Liverpool, meaning only Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham would have their free shot at the Welsh international.
Tottenham may well be in the market for a new central midfielder this summer, but they should steer clear of Allen for a host of reasons, snubbing their £25million chance at the former Swansea ace.
Tottenham’s usual transfers feature players under the age of 25, and Allen recently turned 28, meaning there is little re-sale value on Allen, and he doesn’t possess the necessary quality to overlook that policy.
Allen was also found wanting in a big club with Liverpool, and whilst he has fared well with Stoke, there has been little to prove that he could play for a Champions League club again – and whilst Spurs would have a clear shot at the midfielder, he simply isn’t right for Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
