Stoke City won’t be letting Joe Allen go easily this summer, with the club confirming via their retained list that they have offered the player a new deal at the bet365 Stadium.

The player is set to see his current deal expire during the offseason and if he doesn’t agree fresh terms with the Potters, that will mean he is allowed to leave the side on a free transfer.

Swansea have been looking at potentially taking the midfielder back to Wales if that was the case, with Allen having previously impressed for the Swans during his last stint with the club. Considering his experience in the second tier too, Russell Martin could have utilised him well in the centre of the field as he looks for a potential promotion.

However, they don't want to let him leave for nothing and Joe Allen might very well put pen to paper on a fresh deal now. He hasn't agreed the new terms yet and he might still reject them and decide to try a new challenge elsewhere. However, Stoke have at least given him the opportunity to stay at the bet365 Stadium and now the future is in his own hands.

The Potters had a rather forgettable season, with the side originally looking like potential play-off contenders but ending up in mid-table instead. Swansea had a similar season, with the Welsh outfit looking promising but never producing too much end ending up in mid-table too.

Allen then has a choice on his hands as to whether to stick or twist going forward.

The Verdict

Joe Allen might be 32-years-old now but he can still offer plenty in the Championship and that shows by the amount of interest in his services with his contract coming to an end.

He's done plenty with Stoke and having been there for six seasons now - one of the longest stints of his career - he might fancy a fresh challenge again and a return back to Swansea. The Swans could use some experience in the centre of the field and they don't come more Football League ready than Allen.

Swansea are also looking like a team on the up, with Russell Martin getting the Welsh outfit playing some good football at times. They just haven't had the knowhow to turn those performances into results and Allen could help with that going forward.

Still, the player is comfortable in Stoke and would no doubt like the chance to lead the side back into the Premier League - and with a fresh deal on the table, he could decide to stay put.