Stoke City midfielder Joe Allen is on West Ham’s wishlist this January.
According to The Daily Mail, West Ham are ready to launch an £8m move for Allen. The Hammers know new Stoke boss Michael O’Neill has been told to trim the wage bill in January. West Ham are now monitoring Allen’s situation and could move for Butland too.
West Ham want to sign Allen for £8m but Stoke have other ideas. The Potters – who currently sit in the Championship relegation zone – will demand £15m for Allen. Burnley will rival West Ham for Allen but they do not want to spend £15m on him.
Why Joe Allen might want this move
This could be an arrangement that works for both Stoke and Allen. The 29-year-old needs to move back to the Premier League now or he might risk becoming pigeon-holed as a Championship player going into his 30s.
He is on high wages – £65,000-per-week – and Stoke need to get their high-earners off the books. If Stoke do drop to the third-tier, having a wage bill of this size could damage the club’s finances in the long-term.
Allen might also be interested in a move to West Ham for two other reasons. Firstly, the Irons have held a long-term interest in the Wales international. But also, West Ham have some major issues in the midfield.
There is a lack of depth in central midfield and Allen knows he would get game time. It is a pretty safe bet for the Stoke midfielder but should West Ham spend so much money on an ageing player?