Swansea City: No comment on Joe Allen interest, but Gylfi Sigurdsson deal 'closer'

Gylfi Sigurdsson (left) and Joe Allen play for their respective national teams, Iceland and Wales

Swansea City boss Paul Clement refused to confirm that Stoke City have rejected an approach for Joe Allen.

The Swans have valued Wales midfielder Allen at £20m as they seek to replace Everton target Gylfi Sigurdsson.

Clement would not address the Allen interest, but did say he hopes to conclude the sale of Sigurdsson.

"I'm not going to speak about incoming players. The only situation that's important is the Gylfi Sigurdsson transfer," he said.

"If that goes through then we can speak about other players.

"Nothing's going to be certain until Sigurdsson's future is certain."

Speaking after the Swans' 0-0 draw at Southampton on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, Clement conceded the sale of last term's player of the season is close to completion.

"There's a difference on opinion in the valuation of the player, but I don't think it's far off," he said.

"I get the sense it is closer though."

Sigurdsson did not play against Southampton, a situation Clement feels is unfair on supporters.

For their part Southampton were without Virgil van Dijk, who has made a transfer request.

The former Chelsea coach believes the transfer window, which runs until the end of August, should close sooner.

"With no Sigurdsson for us and no Virgil Van Dijk, you can make the case that fans, team-mates, coaches, viewers around the world, are being short-changed," Clement said.

"What would be a better situation is if the window closed before the start of the season.

"Then clubs would know their group for the first game, and who is and who isn't available.

"I don't really understand why it isn't the case and, in my opinion, it should be changed."

'Wisest thing to do'

Clement says Swansea have decided to leave out Sigurdsson, due to the potential for him to suffer injury before his switch to Goodison Park.

"You're potentially playing a player who might be physically well and might say that he'll play, but what's the motivation like?

"The other thing is in this period, if the player gets injured in a full-on, full throttle Premier League game, any potential deal is gone," he said.

"The decision (not to play him) was made between me, the player and the club that it was the wisest thing to do."

Meanwhile, Swansea have signed 21-year-old striker Courtney Baker-Richardson on a two-year deal from National League North side Leamington FC.

The former Coventry City youth player will link up with the Swansea Under-23 squad.