Newcastle have reportedly turned their attention to Joe Allen, according to the Daily Mail.
What’s the latest?
The Wales international has been attracting interest from the Magpies as well as Wolves and West Ham, who have held a long-term interest in the midfielder.
Stoke are well aware of the interest and are believed to want £15m for the 29-year-old, which would present a significant outlay on a player who was part of a team relegated from the Premier League in 2018.
He is reportedly on £65,000 a week, which according to Spotrac is more than the likes of Jamaal Lascelles and Miguel Almiron are paid, and more than double what Issac Hayden picks up, a player who might well be selected ahead of Allen.
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Wrong move
Newcastle do need a midfielder and Steve Bruce and his team are right to be searching for reinforcements in the middle, but there are not many positives that could be gained by signing the Welshman.
He built up a good reputation while playing under Brendan Rodgers in the early part of his career, with the now Leicester boss once describing him as an intelligent footballer and “one of the top Premier League talents” while he was a Liverpool player.
Since then, however, his career trajectory has suffered a significant decline, and even the passing style he based his game on is now letting him down.
He has been ever-present in a Stoke side which sits in the Championship relegation zone and has achieved a pass accuracy of just 82%, so there is little evidence that he’d be able to improve Newcastle.
As a result, it is unlikely he’d be able to displace either Jonjo Shelvey or Isaac Hayden from the starting line-up, as he doesn’t possess Shelvey’s attacking threat or impressive defensive attributes, either.
Who the heck is that?! Can you name all 25 of these obscure Liverpool signings…
In evidence of that, Allen has made 1.8 interceptions per game this term, and considering he has been playing in the Championship it is difficult to envisage him making the step up to perform to a high enough standard.
Spending £15m on a potential back-up who will be 30 by the end of the season would be an odd move from the club, therefore, and so Mike Ashley should focus his money elsewhere if he wants to avoid disappointing fans further.
If he sanctions this move, you’d have to question exactly what he’s up to.
In other transfer news, Newcastle fans have been making their feelings known in regard to the potential deal to sign Jetro Willems permanently.