West Ham insider exWHUEmployee has confirmed reports in the English media that the Hammers are interested in signing Stoke City midfielder Joe Allen.
The ex-Liverpool star is currently battling to avoid relegation with the Potters in the Championship, and the news of the club scouting the Welshman has not gone down well with fans on Twitter:
That has to be a wind up!?
— Jamie (@Jfar_whufc) December 19, 2019
He will add some pace in the team ?
— Warren (@WarrengFossett) December 19, 2019
Sullivan’s back at the wheel ?
— West Ham Somerset (@WestHam_SW) December 20, 2019
Joe Allen ffs we’re a retirement home
— nav (@itsnudie) December 19, 2019
That would be one heck of a deal if we pinched Pembrokeshire's finest from under the nose of Brendan at Filbert Street.
— Tony Poole (@restbaykid) December 19, 2019
Oh FFS Joe Allen again who keeps linking us to him not anywhere good enough
— Robert Andrew (@robboandrew) December 19, 2019
Jeeeeeez. Button it on that one
— Shaun Richards (@richards_shaun) December 19, 2019
Don’t be disappointed you forgot that news ??♂️
— Ricky Forrest (@rickwhufc) December 19, 2019
Allen could well be a replacement for Jack Wilshere with some reports suggesting that the 27-year-old could be offloaded in the January transfer window.
Since arriving from Arsenal on a free transfer in 2018, the midfielder has managed to play just 16 games due to injury problems. He is currently recovering from a groin injury that has kept him out of action since October.
Whether Allen would be of sufficient quality to replace him, it is up for debate. This season, the 29-year-old has scored three goals and provided no assists in 20 appearances for Stoke. Last campaign, he managed just six goals and three assists in 46 games.
