Joe Allen is currently mulling over a big decision concerning his club career.
Now out of contract with Stoke City, the Wales international, currently recovering from a hamstring injury he picked up against Belgium this month, will be weighing up his next move.
The Potters have an offer on the table for the 32-year-old, who is also wanted by former club Swansea City, with head coach Russell Martin a firm admirer of the midfielder. He isn't the only one, with Allen said to have multiple teams tracking his next step.
Stoke returned for pre-season on Monday, with Allen not among the number in the Potteries; that would have been the case anyway, with internationals afforded an extended break this summer.
A decision will have to be made soon, though. We spoke to Stoke expert Pete Smith , one of our colleagues at StokeLive , for the view from the bet365 Stadium.
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Q. What's the latest situation as you understand it?
A: Stoke had talks with Allen towards the end of the season about extending his stay. He knows he can be a senior figure and will be pretty much guaranteed to play regularly if he does, which must tick a big box heading towards the World Cup.
But he's also got a young family who will grow up in Wales. It's clearly not going to be a decision based just on money.
It's worth noting that Stoke are making other manoeuvres in midfield. Michael O'Neill is expected to bring in Josh Laurent and Lewis Baker has signed a new long-term contract, probably in pole position to be captain if Allen departs.
Q. Presumably it's fair to say Stoke are keen to keep hold of him...
A: Yes, O'Neill has always been full of praise for Allen on and off the pitch as a top professional. He made him captain last summer and he's played virtually every game when he's been fit since he joined from Liverpool in 2016.
Q. What's the general consensus about his time there? Would the fans want him to stay?
A: Mixed. He's been a constant through a pretty terrible decline from mid-table stability in the Premier League to four consecutive bottom-half finishes in the Championship. The team has changed around him, losing the spine and stardust that had been so impressive and important under Tony Pulis and Mark Hughes, and it obviously hasn't changed for the better.
He's the kind of character who will try to do other people's jobs for them when they're not good enough, which has been to his own detriment. Not many fans would hold it against him if he decided he wanted a fresh start. Indeed there are others who think a fresh start might be for the best.
He struck up a decent partnership with Baker, though, and it would be interesting to see how it would click with those two and Laurent. You'd see the best of Joe Allen in a better team and hopefully Stoke will have a better team in 2022/23 than they've had recently.
Q. Swansea are keen admirers, and he might well be tempted to come back were the terms right. What do you think could sway his decision in Stoke's favour?
A: He's happy at Stoke under O'Neill and if he left now he would feel like he left with unfinished business. He has been desperate to lead the club back in the right direction, if not all the way back to the Premier League. He's been a Stoke player for six years so there is a major connection.
Q. When do you think we might see a decision made? What do you think will happen next?
A: Stoke have returned for pre-season training this week although there is extra time off for players who have been on international duty up until a couple of weeks ago. Everyone will want a decision sorted sooner rather than later - and the longer it goes on, the more likely it will seem he is heading away.
