The Europe League Champions are very keen on signing Liverpool’s 26-year-old midfielder, who made a cameo appearance from the bench during the Europa League final between the two teams earlier this month.
Joe Allen has had mixed fortunes since joining Liverpool from Swansea City in the summer of 2012, but the player dubbed the ‘Welsh Xavi’ by former manager Brendan Rodgers has put in some key performances and scored a few crucial goals under Jurgen Klopp.
Allen hasn’t featured much for the Reds this season, with 17 of his 30 appearances coming off the bench. This lack of game time has led the Welshman to suggest that his immediate future may lie away from Anfield.
“It always helps you when you step out on the pitch,” said Allen, according to the Guardian.
“I’ve enjoyed that and it made things easier. People have talked about the improvement in my game this year but it’s almost a back-handed compliment in some ways. In the first half of the season I hadn’t played.
“But I’m 26, not 36, so I am still developing and improving. I’d be very disappointed if I said at the end of any year that I hadn’t improved as the season had gone on.”
Allen also stated that his future plans would hinge on Liverpool’s pre-season and the players Jurgen Klopp decides to bring in.
Sevilla are keen to sign the Welsh Xavi
Europa League champions Sevilla are very interested in signing Joe Allen, who they feel is an ideal replacement for Argentine midfielder Ever Banega. Banega will join Serie A giants Inter Milan this summer on a free transfer, and the Europa League hat-trick winners are in the market for a player with similar characteristics.
Allen has one year left on his contract with Liverpool and the Reds would be looking to cash in if they think the Welshman doesn’t have a significant role in their future plans. The midfielder is valued at €8 million by transfermarkt, but Sevilla will have to see off competition from his former club Swansea City and Watford, which is likely to push the transfer fee significantly higher than that number.
