Joe Allen: Swansea City make enquiry for Stoke & Wales midfielder

Joe Allen had a loan spell at Wrexham in 2008

Swansea City have made an enquiry for Stoke City midfielder Joe Allen and been told he is not for sale.

The 27-year-old left for Liverpool in 2012 and joined Stoke in July 2016.

Allen joined Stoke for £13m after the Swans' £8m bid was rejected. Swansea are thought to be prepared to pay up to £20m now for the Wales international.

"They made an enquiry, it wasn't a bid... they just asked would we be willing to allow him to leave and we said no," said Stoke boss Mark Hughes.

"I think we have to respect that they came and they did that and because of the answer they got you'd like to think they will respect our position."

Manager Paul Clement has renewed Swansea's interest in the player who rose through their ranks after joining them as a teenager.

Tony Scholes, the Stoke chief executive, told BBC Radio Stoke: "Swansea did inquire, so there is truth in that. I'd rather it didn't get reported, but these things do.

"They did inquire with us and we told them quite firmly that we were just not interested in any kind of sale.

"They [Swansea] made an enquiry, they're a decent club, we told them we're not interested, that should be the end of the matter.

"Joe had a great season with us last year and I'm sure he'll have another great season with us next year."

The future of Swans midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson has yet to be resolved with Clement having stated talks with Everton are at a "critical stage".