Newcastle United could pass on signing Stoke City midfielder Joe Allen despite being offered his services, according to the Chronicle.
The local newspaper claim that while the Welsh playmaker, who earns £50,000-a-week at the Potters according to Spotrac, is set to leave recently relegated Stoke City his demand for first-team football can’t be guaranteed at St James Park.
The Chronicle report that Allen would have to fight for a place in Rafa Benitez’s side, due to the presence of Jonjo Shelvey and Mohamed Diame, so the Magpies might look at other options if they strengthen that area.
It is believed that Stoke’s valuation, £20million, of the midfielder may not be in the price range of what the Magpies are looking to spend when it comes to that area of their team.
The Sun reported earlier in May that Benitez’s team were one of five that were pursuing Allen’s signature if he was set to leave Stoke City.
OPINION
This is a huge update on the Magpies potentially signing Allen as it’s pretty much suggests that it isn’t happening. The Potters midfielder has a number of suitors so won’t be too fussed that one of his many reported admirers are not keen to strike a deal.The Magpies have very logical reasons for passing on Allen as no one should be guaranteed first-team football nor is the 28-year-old worth a £20million investment. The former Liverpool man may have impressed many with his displays in the 38 games he featured in, but signing a new central midfielder shouldn’t be a priority to Benitez, even if Allen racked up an impressive seven assists for his struggling side. The managerial genius has to strengthen several areas of his team and needs to make sure the weaker positions are addressed first. This should see a centre-forward’s recruitment put above all else as it’s clearly the Magpies’ lack of goals that stopped them achieving even more last season. However if Allen gives up his first-team demand and the Potters lower their price, maybe this deal can be looked at again later in the window.
