Liverpool reject Swansea bid for Welsh midfielder Joe Allen

Liverpool have rejected an £8m bid made by Swansea for Wales internatioonal Joe Allen, but are demanding £10m for the 26-year old midfielder.

The Welshman has played a somewhat peripheral role in Jurgen Klopp’s side this season but impressed towards the end of the year.

Allen took this form with him into Euro 2016 where’s he so far impressed for Wales and has subsequently earned himself many admirers across the Premier League.

Many fans have expressed their desire to hold onto the Welshman – who’s been affectionately dubbed the “Welsh Pirlo” – but Anfield still remains poised to sell the player who has one year left on his contract.

It’s understood that Allen wants to play more regular first-team football after struggling to cement a place in Klopp’s starting side and is therefore open to a move away from Anfield.

Having rejected Swansea’s £8m bid, the Mirror reports that Liverpool are holding out for an offer worth £10m or above.

His recent Euro performances will have undoubtedly increased his worth though and it’s believed Liverpool are hoping to recoup the original £15m they spent four years ago when they purchased him from Swansea.

Fellow Welsh teammate Gareth Bale has openly praised the 26-year-old.

“I can’t really speak highly enough of him,” Bale said.

“Maybe he doesn’t get the headlines outside, but in the squad he gets them. He works his socks off every game and I’m sure he’ll go on to do incredible things in his career.”

Former Swansea clubmate Neil Taylor also commented on Allen’s recent form: “And I know it has been raved about here, with Joe with how well he’s done. But Joey is very underrated.”

Allen was a product of Swansea’s youth academy but moved to Wrexham on loan in 2008 before signing for Liverpool in 2012.

Despite the criticism he’s faced in the past, various online campaigns have taken off in recent days in a bid to convince the Liverpool elite to hold onto the midfielder