Joe Allen is reportedly a transfer target for SIX clubs!
When Brendan Rodgers was appointed Celtic manager the midfielder seemed a possible target- after attracting Rodgers to replace Ronny Deila anything seemed possible!
The more realistic view was that not even the Swansea connection would stand a chance of attracting Allen to Celtic after getting used to Premiership wages at Anfield.
According to a report in The Telegraph four Premier League clubs, including Southampton and Swansea are looking at Allen with Seville and a Russian club also showing interest.
In English terms Allen will be on a relatively modest salary, signing from Swansea in 2012 for a £15m fee. The reality of a 26-year-old who impressed at Euro 2016 with a year left on his contract means that the player holds all of the aces.
Allen was closely associated with Rodgers and often felt the brunt of supporters criticism aimed at the manager as things went downhill at Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp has been less than enthusiastic with no real effort made to offer a new contract leading to the conclusion that his Liverpool days are almost over.
While Allen perfectly matches the photo-fit of what Celtic would be looking for in a midfielder they wouldn’t be able to come close to the £100,000 plus a week wages needed to start negotiations. Or the transfer fee.
The morality of wages at that level would be a different issue.
Down the M74 it is a different story, football played in an entirely different financial climate. A transfer fee between £5-10m and £5m/year wages won’t scare off any Premier League side. Newly promoted clubs like Hull or Middlesbrough might consider it a fair punt.
Back in the real world of Celtic Rodgers thoughts are on getting a settled side for the Champions League qualifiers with two matches against Lincoln Red Imps to assess his players.
Moussa Dembele has been the only transfer to date. The next signing is highly unlikely to be Joe Allen, perhaps a team-mate for Scott Allen as the new Celtic boss deals with the reality of the transfer market- far removed from the one that his previous club operate in.
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