Liverpool Transfers: Reds Set to Sign Joe Allen
Brendan Rodgers looks poised to bring in his second summer signing as Liverpool up their bid for Swansea's Joe Allen.
The Telegraph. The Welsh midfielder, who impressed under Rodgers in last season's league campaign, has a £15 million release clause for certain clubs in his contract, with Liverpool being one of them. Allen is set to discuss his future with Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins and new manager Brian Laudrup before the end of the week. It is thought that Liverpool had made a bid for the 22 year old, who has just returned from Olympic duty with Team GB, last month, with Rodgers offering somewhere in the region of £10m to bring in the services of Allen, but new manager Michael Laudrup had turned it down. But this has not deterred Liverpool's manager, who has a written agreement to not try and sign any of his former club's players for the next twelve months that can be waived should the deal be deemed to be in the best interests of Swansea. Allen impressed last season in the Premier League under Rodgers, and would be the Welsh manager's second signing for his new club after Fabio Borini, who also played under him at Swansea, arrived at Anfield in July. Meanwhile, the Merseyside club face massive changes to their squad with Daniel Agger, Andy Carroll and Craig Bellamy all rumoured to be exiting in this transfer window. Maxi Rodriguez, Dirk Kuyt, Alberto Aquilani and Fabio Aurelio have already departed Liverpool this summer. Liverpool play their first home game of the season on Thursday night in the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round second leg against Belarusian side FC Gomel, taking a 1-0 lead from the first game. Follow me on Twitter @matt_volpi for football news and views.