Joe Allen happy to make Liverpool

Stoke City midfielder Joe Allen has insisted that leaving Liverpool left him with “no regrets” and is looking forward to his time with the Potters.

The midfielder, who starred at Euro 2016 for Wales, joined Stoke for a fee of £13million not long after arriving back from international duty.

Allen spent four years with the Reds but says he didn’t struggle to make a decision over whether to move or not.

“It wasn’t a difficult decision to move and I’m not looking back with any regrets,” he told Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday. “I’m excited about the future in my career. At 26, the best years are still in front of me and naturally I’m looking forward to them.

“I look back and I’ve got fond memories, it was a huge privilege to play for a club like Liverpool but the timing was right for me to move on.

“I was hoping this opportunity [to join Stoke] would come up in the summer, and thankfully it’s all worked out well. I’m looking forward to the new chapter in my career.”

Game time was limited for Allen under Jurgen Klopp, despite the fact that the Welshman was hoping for a more established place in the side.

“When a new manager comes in, you’re hoping you can impress and get in the team,” he said. “I thought that his style would suit me, but it wasn’t quite to be. In all fairness, the competition in midfield was tough all season so there’s not too many complaints on my part.

“I don’t want to be sat twiddling my thumbs on the bench, and I wanted to make sure if I could change it I would.”