Sheffield United transfer rumours: Blades handed chance to sign Wales international Joe Allen | OneFootball

After securing a ninth place finish in the Premier League in 2020, Sheffield United would have been hoping to push on under the guidance of Chris Wilder last season.

However, the Blades ultimately failed to deliver the goods in the top-flight as they were relegated to the Championship earlier this year.

With Wilder opting to step aside, United decided to appoint Slavisa Jokanovic as his replacement last month.

Tasked with rebuilding the club's squad, the Serbian has already decided to cut ties with four senior players as Phil Jagielka, John Lundstram, Simon Moore and Jack Rodwell are all set to depart when their contracts expire at the end of June.

When you consider that the Blades are currently short of options in central midfield due to the fact that Rodwell and Lundstram have been released, it is hardly a surprise that Jokanovic is looking to bolster his options in this position.

A recent report from TEAMtalk suggested that United are keeping tabs on Tom Cairney's situation at Fulham as they eye a potential swoop.

However, with the Cottagers looking to secure a £10m fee for the midfielder, the Blades may be tempted to draft in a cheaper option in the form of a player who also knows what it takes to compete at this level.

According to The Star, United have been reportedly offered the opportunity to sign Joe Allen by Stoke City who are looking to cut costs this summer.

Whilst it is understood that Jokanovic has yet to directly express his interest in the midfielder, he could secure his services if he believes that Allen would be a good fit for the club.

The 31-year-old, who has been capped on 60 occasions by Wales, was limited to just 19 appearances in all competitions last season due to two separate injury issues.

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GIVEMESPORT's Joshua Cole says...

A shadow of the player who was named in the UEFA Euro 2016 Team of the Tournament alongside the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Antoine Griezmann, Allen struggled considerably for consistency last season.

Whereas he wasn't helped by the injuries that he suffered, the midfielder only managed to record an average WhoScored match rating of 6.52 in the Championship.

Taking Allen's lack of form into consideration, it could be argued that the Blades ought to steer clear of signing him this summer.

Although the midfielder boasts a wealth of experience at Championship level due to the fact that he has played 183 games in this division during his career, his best years are clearly behind him.

Therefore, instead of swooping for Allen, Jokanovic should instead look into the possibility of signing a younger midfielder who could potentially thrive under his guidance next season.