It could well be another busy summer at Swansea City, as boss Russell Martin looks to shape his squad further following a reasonably promising opening season at the helm.
This will be Swansea's first full pre-season under Martin, who will likely have plenty of plans in place to further implement his footballing philosophies on this squad. Outgoings are likely, but there's real hope that he can add some quality in this window.
The emergence of interest in Joe Allen, exclusively revealed by WalesOnline, will have excited plenty of Swansea fans, with Martin himself admitting that the Welshman is the sort of player he'd like to bring on board.
So, could a homecoming really happen? Here's a quick look at where things currently stand.
What's the latest?
Allen himself is currently away on holiday, but his representatives are understood to have met Stoke City this week. The Potters are thought to be keen on keeping their captain at the bet365 Stadium for at least another season, and have already made it known that they intend to offer the midfielder a new deal, albeit one with reduced terms given the financial realities facing Stoke and many other Championship clubs.
It's understood that the offer from Stoke will be carefully considered before interest from elsewhere is even entertained, and there will likely be plenty of suitors in the event Allen decides against extending his stay, with around a dozen clubs, including Swansea, believed to have shown an interest.
Where is Swansea City's interest?
Martin has made little secret of his desire to bring the 32-year-old on board. Indeed, he's been an admirer of Allen for some time.
“Brilliant player, brilliant character. I watched him for Wales recently," he said when asked about the Wales international following the curtain call defeat to QPR. "He was excellent, the way he spoke to other players as well.
“He loves this club, I love him as a player. I will say it. I would love to [sign him]. We’ll have to wait and see.
“It will depend on a lot of things. We have a lot of midfielders at the club. We have some midfielders that haven’t played very much.
“People are going to have to leave for people to come in. But Joe is someone who would fit here perfectly. He knows the club, the club knows him. I am sure he has got plenty of offers and I am sure at some point we will sit down and have a chat about him."
Sources inside the club have previously indicated that talks over a possible move had already begun, but while initial conversations have indeed happened, sources close to the player claim there is nothing tangible on the table from the Swans, or indeed any other club, at this stage.
What would need to happen?
Without meaning to state the obvious, Swansea need to make a suitable offer. Allen is certainly open to the idea of a return to his boyhood club, and would perhaps be tempted to turn down better financial offers in favour of a homecoming. But Swansea, or indeed anyone else, will still need to offer something competitive.
What that would look like isn't entirely clear, but it would likely need to be a deal comparable to other first-team stars, such as Matt Grimes, who penned a new contract at the club back in November. Mark Allen, shortly before his departure from SA1, is believed to have quoted a potential salary to Allen's representatives back in March, but the figure was considered well below what they believed Allen to be worth.
Much will depend on whether the club's hierarchy shares Martin's enthusiasm to bring him on board and, of course, on what sort of budget Swansea are operating within. The latter point is particularly significant, not just in terms of their pursuit of Allen, but their window as a whole.
Martin is clearly already keen to trim the wage bill by shipping out those on the periphery of the first team, but a lot could hinge on the futures of Joel Piroe and Flynn Downes, both of whom are currently the club's most valuable assets. In an ideal world, Martin would surely like to keep both of them, but given the current financial landscape, that will likely be very difficult.
Leicester City and several others have shown an interest in Piroe, while Downes has been linked with Leeds United, whose own summer plans appear up in the air given their battle to avoid relegation from the Premier League.
It's perhaps too simplistic to say that a few sales will increase the likelihood of a move for Allen, but there's no question that it would increase the club's ability to put an attractive package together.
That said, given the level of interest in Allen from elsewhere, there might not be too much time for Swansea to get their ducks in a row.
Other options?
Allen is likely to be pondering plenty of offers this summer. Two Premier League clubs, believed to be Bournemouth and Fulham, have seemingly shown an interest, although it's admittedly difficult to see where a 32-year-old Joe Allen would fit in with either side. Indeed, one would think that for all his talents and experience, it's perhaps unlikely that he would be considered first choice at either club.
Then again, Allen's professionalism and work ethic, as well as his class on the ball, means he remains a hugely attractive option for many coaches, so a top flight return cannot be ruled out. Clubs in the Championship are understandably keen too, while there is even interest from abroad, with four or five Spanish clubs believed to have made contact, and Allen himself is understood to be open to starting a new adventure on the continent.
Having now sat down with Stoke, it's possible that some of those options might well be discussed further over the next week or so.
What happens now
A very good question.
Even those close to Allen admit that it's almost impossible to predict where he will end up this summer. For the time being, things seem reasonably relaxed, with the midfielder clearly keen to weigh up his options before making any sort of decision.
One could look at the situation from afar and declare Stoke in the driving seat given they have seemingly put something on the table, but the reality is clearly a little more complex.
Allen will link up with his Wales team-mates later this week for a crucial run of international fixtures, including a World Cup play-off final with either Scotland or Ukraine. That may well complicate matters further given he's likely to be a hugely important part of Rob Page's plans.
For now, nothing has yet been ruled out, but there could well be a fair number of twists and turns over the coming weeks.
