Stoke City announces signing of Joe Allen
To see a list of completed deals in the summer window thus far, visit theScore's Premier League transfer tracker.
Don't be surprised if "#JoeAllenAppreciationDay" is trending on Twitter again.
On Monday, Stoke City announced the signing of Joe Allen from Liverpool on a five-year deal, as the Welsh midfielder joined the Potters for a reported fee of £13 million.
(Courtesy: Stoke City)
According to James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo, Stoke paid £11 million up front, while the remaining £2 million is comprised of appearance-related add-ons.
During four seasons at Liverpool, Allen made 132 appearances and scored seven goals. While he struggled to win over supporters during his first three campaigns with the Reds, he made some crucial contributions during the Reds' last campaign and evolved into something of a cult figure, nicknamed "the Welsh Xavi" by some and "the Welsh Pirlo" by others.
He's ours now 😘 #SCFC https://t.co/w4O5YJ7bN1
— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) July 25, 2016
Allen also played a significant role in Wales' fairy-tale run to the semi-finals, most notably playing a majestic pass to Aaron Ramsey to set up a goal as Chris Coleman's side defeated Russia 3-0.
Here's video of Allen's first interview at Stoke: