Bournemouth look to move for Joe Allen

There are reports linking Joe Allen on a move to high-flying Bournemouth. This will be troubling news for Gary Rowett who managed to convince Allen to stay at Stoke City and sign a new contract but with Stoke City limping in the Championship so far, a move to Dean Court might turn the Welshman’s head.

Joe Allen moved to Stoke City on the back of his impressive performances in Euro 2016, signing the diminutive playmaker was seen as a coup for a club of Stoke City’s stature. The main reason for Allen’s move to Stoke City was a lack of playing time at Liverpool, that certainly hasn’t been a problem for Allen at Stoke City as he has made 88 appearances in three seasons. He was bought as Mark Hughes tried to continue to remodel the way Stoke City played in a more attractive fashion, similar to tika-taka. Ultimately, that failed which led to Hughes getting the sack, although Allen has been impressive so far in a Stoke City shirt, he managed to score the goal that led to Stoke City earning its first point at Old Trafford since 1980, while his stellar performances led him to be included the 2016 40-man shortlist for the UEFA Team of the Year.

Should this transfer go ahead, it would be problematic for Rowett as Allen has played in every one of Stoke CIty’s sixteen matches this season, in the process scoring two goals and recording two assists, he is Stoke City’s 3rd topscorer only behind Erik Pieters and Benik Afobe, he is also joint top assister alongside James McClean. Losing him would mean Rowett loses a source of creativity and goals in a team that looks depleted on that front, but more importantly, Rowett doesn’t have anyone on his team that dictates the tempo and controls possession as well as Allen.