What future does Liverpool’s Joe Allen have at Anfield?

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Welsh Midfielder, Joe Allen, has been hinting that he might leave Liverpool since the start of this year, but with one year remaining on his current deal, he has insisted that he is happy to wait until the summer for his future to be decided.  

Although the Reds have yet to open talks over a new contract, it is now widely believed that Allen may be preparing to leave Liverpool at the end of the season, especially with the knowledge that he is behind both Emre Can and Jordan Henderson in the midfield pecking order.

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One of the things that left the Welshman frustrated was the fact that he has not been able to play on the pitch as much as he wanted. Allen has told The Guardian:

“[My future] hinges on the pre-season plans and what exactly the club are hoping to do, everything comes into that.”

He also added:

“As a footballer you want to play every minute of every game. When you don’t it can be disappointing. That’s natural for anyone; that’s not specific to me. It’s how you react. You have to make sure you don’t let it affect you to a point that, when you do get your chances, you’re not up to it.”

Liverpool legend, Ian Rush, has also noticed Allen’s frustration. He told Wales Online that it might be the final straw that makes him leave. He said:

“Joe’s frustrated by not being in the team. I’ve seen a lot of players who are happy on the bench, but the thing with Joe Allen is he’s not happy doing that. If he’s not happy then he might well want to move on.”

It is no secret that Allen has been trying to win over Liverpool fans for the past four years, and after showing his worth in 2016 Euros, many fans have expressed their desire to hold on to the Welshman, who has been affectionately dubbed the “Welsh Pirlo.”

Not only this, but he has impressed for Wales to such an extent that he has subsequently earned himself many admirers across the Premier League, which included former team, Swansea.

After rejecting Swansea’s £8 million bid, Liverpool are now holding out for an offer worth £10 million or above, believing that his recent Euro performances will have undoubtedly increased his worth. The Anfield outfit must not be holding out hope that they will be able to recoup the original £15 million spent back in 2012 when they first purchased him.

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Even though manager Jürgen Klopp was originally looking to keep his squad intact for the rest of the season, Allen is likely to move with Marko Grujic set to arrive on Merseyside this summer, and Piotr Zielinski earmarked as another key target.

The fact that Liverpool are even interested in Zielinski comes as a surprise, with Klopp previously believed to be keen to add physicality to his midfield ranks. The Poland international is very similar to Allen in terms of their playing style and nature, which could make it seem as though he is actually Allen’s replacement.

When we look at Allen’s recent performances, it can be argued that the diminutive midfielder’s great tactical intelligence and perceptive reading on the game could make him more suited to Klopp’s pressing game of any of Liverpool’s current midfielders.

However, he has only made just 12 starts since since the German’s arrival at the beginning of October.

Even though Klopp has yet to comment on the future of the Welshman, it is clear that Anfield remains poised to sell him, just as it is clear that Allen himself is planning to go elsewhere.

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