Odds shorten on Joe Allen moving to Celtic

The odds on Joe Allen again joining up with his former manager, Brendan Rodgers, have shortened heavily.

The Stoke City midfielder has been subject to two substantial bets according to various reports, one in Cardiff and one in Glasgow.

Rodgers managed Allen at Swansea before buying him from the Welsh club at Liverpool. Were he to join Celtic, it’d be the pair’s third time working together.

The Welsh international moved to Stoke back in 2016 and has since made 56 appearances for the club, scoring 7 goals.

Sources at Stoke claim, however, that they’re keen to keep hold of the Welshman and he’s not for sale.

Opinion

Joe Allen is a vastly experienced footballer now, at the age of 27. He’s been to international tournaments with Wales and has played in the Champions League with Liverpool.

His tenacious style of play coupled with his calm nature on the ball mean he’s a shrewd player to have in your midfield.

For Liverpool he was very much regarded as the cog in the wheel, keeping the ball well and aiding Rodgers’ possession style football.

With Mark Hughes having just been sacked at the Bet365 Stadium, perhaps Allen is now looking for new opportunities. Celtic would be a superb one.

Odds can mean very little, however, so at this stage, it’s worth taking the rumours with a pinch of salt. There is, once again, the issue with a fee too. Allen’s not what you’d call a marquee signing but Stoke would want to recoup good money for him.