OPINION
Brendan Rodgers should attempt to form a reunion with Stoke City’s Joe Allen at Celtic after Swansea were rebuffed in their attempts to bring the midfielder back to the Liberty Stadium.
The Daily Mail quoted Stoke manager Mark Hughes as saying that Swansea enquired over the possibility of luring the 27-year-old back to Wales.
However, Hughes told Paul Clement’s side in no uncertain terms that the former Liverpool ace would not be leaving Stoke to rejoin Premier League rivals Swansea, five years after leaving the club.
“They made an enquiry, it wasn’t a bid or a request to buy him, it was: ‘Would you be willing to allow him to leave?’ We said, ‘No’,” Hughes revealed.
Allen played under Rodgers at Swansea before Rodgers paid £15million to sign the midfielder as one of his first recruits at Anfield in the summer of 2012.
Stoke City’s number four was in exceptional form during the 2016-17 campaign, used in a number 10 role rather than his more natural position at the base of the midfield.
It saw the pocket-sized midfielder score six times for the Potters, as well as adding four assists in his first season at the Britannia Stadium during 39 league and cup outings.
Celtic need another central midfielder as they embark on another Champions League campaign alongside their aim of completing another treble north of the border.
The Express claims Everton, West Brom and Southampton are all eyeing a £3million move to sign Stuart Armstrong, with his future in doubt as he enters the final year of his contract at Parkhead.
Kouassi Eboue suffered an injury in Tuesday night’s 5-0 win over Kilmarnock in the Betfred Cup, and if the Hoops lose both players then they will be light in the middle of the park.
Signing Allen would not only offer the Bhoys cover in the absence of Eboue and Armstrong, but also plenty of quality in both the holding midfield role and behind the striker.
The 36-time Wales international also boasts experience in European competition, making 24 appearances in the Champions League and the Europa League throughout his career and that could be key in helping Celtic go one better than last season in Europe.
Adding a player that Rodgers knows so well would prove to be a huge coup for the 48-time Scottish champions, if they can unsettle Allen at Stoke and convince him to spearhead Celtic’s aim of completing a second successive treble.