Joe Allen is set to leave Stoke City after declining the offer of a new contract, according to John Percy. Having spent six years with the Potters since his £13 million move from Liverpool, Allen is now a free agent looking to join another club, with Swansea City a potential destination for the Welshman.
Joe Allen is leaving #Stoke after declining the offer of a new contract, bringing his six-year spell to an end. Allen is a free agent and will be joining another club.. Swansea is a possible option #scfc https://t.co/yVuaRreFix
— John Percy (@JPercyTelegraph) June 24, 2022
Joe Allen Now a Free Agent
Declined a New Contract
Earlier this spring, Stoke were set to offer Joe Allen a new contract as his current deal was running out. Stoke wanted him to stay, but Allen decided against it.
Now the 32-year-old is looking for a new club and Swansea City has emerged as a potential destination for the Welsh midfielder.
An Inspirational Journey
Joe Allen’s journey is inspirational. The Welshman made his professional debut for Swansea back in the 2006/07 season, aged just 16. This was back when the club was down in League One.
Allen stayed with the Swans for a few seasons (excluding a brief loan stint at Wrexham), following their trek up through the Championship to the Premier League. He then enjoyed four solid seasons with Liverpool.
Allen has also experienced a great journey with Wales. His first start for the national team came in a 2-0 win over Switzerland in UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying. However, that qualification campaign can overall be considered a massive failure for Wales, as they finished fourth in the group.
Wales’ attempt to reach the 2014 FIFA World Cup hardly saw any improvements. Then came the qualifiers for Euro 2016. The Dragons ultimately clinched their spot in France quite easily, inflicting Belgium their sole loss.
Joe Allen kept on playing an instrumental part in this Welsh team’s sensational run to the semi-final, setting up Aaron Ramsey’s goal against Russia and earning a spot in the team of the tournament, alongside Ramsey.
The following autumn saw Allen score his two goals for the national team.
