9 Jan 2016

Molby insists: 'Outstanding' £20m Liverpool outcast still has a 'future' at Anfield. Sell or keep?

After the signing of Marko Grucic, Joe Allen's future at Liverpool looks increasingly bleak, but Reds legend Jan Molby insists that the Welsh international still has a long-term part to play at Anfield.

Allen has made only one league start this season, and if Jurgen Klopp brings in another central midfielder this summer (a cast-iron certainty IMO), then it's hard to see where he fits in next season.

According to Molby, though, Allen's imperious performance against Stoke shows that he still has a lot to offer. In his column for the Liverpool Echo this week, Molby enthused:

"Allen had a good game. He’s very energetic [but] lacks end product. I still think he can have a future under Klopp".

Allen has 18 months left on his current deal, and this week, he admitted:

“That [contract talks] has gone very quiet. I’ve only made one league start this season, so I want to play more. Now, it’s about giving my best, which is always what I do.”

Allen is a good squad player to have, and as his appearance stats under Klopp show, that's exactly how he's being used:

* 11 appearances in Klopp's first 20 games. 7 starts (6 cup games/1 Premier League game).

* Sub or subbed off 6 times in 11 games (55% of games).

* Unused sub 7 times (all for Premier League games).

Clearly, Klopp doesn't seem to rate Allen that highly, and with these appearance stats (in the midst of a season-long injury crisis), I don't see how Allen will ever be more than a bit-part player under the new regime.

If Allen is happy with that, then great, but if he decides to leave for regular game time, how much will the club recoup? Last season, Manchester United reportedly considered an improbable £20m bid for him, and according to Brendan Rodgers:

"Joe is an outstanding player [and] what the club paid will be a bargain.You look at other midfielders with his qualities, they are going to big clubs for £40m".

£40m for Joe Allen? That's never going to happen (!) but given his international status, Liverpool probably have a strong chance of recouping the original £15m investment.




Author: Jaimie K


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