Joe Allen ends four-year stint with Liverpool to sign for Stoke City

Joe Allen has become Liverpool's 12th summer departure after the Reds confirmed his transfer to Stoke City on Monday (25 July). The Welshman, who entered the final year of his contract this summer, saw his playing time under Jurgen Klopp drop during last season, which prompted him to seek a move away from Anfield.

"Joe Allen has today completed a permanent transfer from Liverpool FC to Stoke City," read a statement on Liverpool's official site.

The midfielder joined the Merseyside club in 2012 from Swansea City and has made 132 appearances during his four-year stay at Anfield. He was a key member under former manager Brendan Rodgers, but lost his place in the midfield following the arrival of the German manager. Liverpool have already signed a replacement for the Wales international with the transfer of Georginio Wijnaldum from Newcastle United.

Stoke manager Mark Hughes is a big admirer of his compatriot and was keen to sign him after Liverpool failed to hand the 26-year-old midfielder a new deal. The Potters have landed their second summer signing for a fee that could rise to £13m ($17m) after landing Egypt international Ramadan Sobhi for a reported £5m from Al Ahly.

Allen was delighted to complete his move to the bet365 Stadium and revealed that it was a conversation with Hughes that convinced him to make the switch. The Potters chief executive Tony Scholes also revealed that they had to act quickly to beat other suitors to the midfielder's signature.

"It's all come relatively out of the blue to be honest," Allen told Stoke's official site after signing a long-term deal with the club. "I saw that an offer was accepted over the weekend and things have obviously moved really quickly since then."

"Mark Hughes has achieved great things here at the Club already and he sold the Club to me in terms of their ambitions moving forward. As soon as I spoke to him I knew that this was a move I was happy to make - I am just really delighted to be a part of it," he added.

"Joe is a player that Mark has admired for a considerable amount of time. Therefore when we became aware of the possibility of bringing him to the Club it was something that we were determined to do," chief executive Scholes said.