Can West Ham United Benefit By Signing Stoke City Midfielder Joe Allen?
West Ham United are reportedly interested in a £15m January move for Stoke City midfielder Joe Allen. Interestingly, he was linked with a move to the Hammers last January and these rumours started brewing once more in the build-up to the ongoing winter window. While the move for a player as influential as Allen can prove to be a massive advantage for the east London club, the fact of the matter is that it remains to be seen if Stoke are willing to part ways with him.
First up, the January window is not really notorious for big transfers and when one considers how much Allen means to the Potters, it does seem like quite a sensational move. Moreover, Stoke are not in the best of situations themselves. There is immense pressure on Mark Hughes to deliver results and even more so after a slew of mid-table clubs consecutively sacked their managers over the last couple of months.
Stoke started out on a dismal note and are yet to make an impact. Their recent 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester City was proof that they have a long way to go if they are to battle to secure their top-flight status. So they cannot afford to lose a player like Allen, with rest of the season ahead. He is a hard-worker and continues to be one of the key players at the club. He can produce results and is renowned for making an impact in most games, thus making him irreplaceable.
That said, there is no doubt that he would prove to be a quality signing for the Hammers. More than anything else, David Moyes’ men have been weak in establishing control in the midfield area and Allen could rectify those issues. He is known to create chances and score goals while also shielding the defence quite well.
Moreover, while Mark Noble has put in some decent performances, Pedro Obiang and Cheikhou Kouyate have been highly inconsistent this term. The Hammers need better players if they are to survive this season and Allen can be the key to that.
He scored 6 goals in 36 league games last season and to be very honest, it does seem like both teams need him. Stoke and West Ham are currently embroiled in a tough relegation battle and it is understandable that the Potters are unlikely to be willing to sell to a rival, in the January window. However, there are questions regarding Hughes’ future at the club and that could present the Hammers with a golden opportunity.