Stoke City Rule Out Selling Wanted Midfielder This Summer Amid Swansea Links

Stoke City are reportedly refusing to sell central midfielder Joe Allen this summer, after seeing interest in the Welshman pick up heading into the final few weeks of the transfer window.

The 27-year-old joined the club last summer for a reported fee of £13m - beating the likes of Swansea to his signature, and it seems the South Wales outfit are back in for him.

The back end of last week saw various reports claiming that Allen's boyhood club had revived last summer's interest in the midfielder, but had a bid turned down by the Potters. And now, according to Sky Sports, Mark Hughes has ruled out selling his man completely.

Allen rose to fame with the Swans when the club managed promotion into the top flight. After an impressive debut year in the Premier League, he followed Brendan Rodgers to Liverpool, where he featured 91 times in four seasons.

Since last summer's switch to Stoke, Allen has played a crucial role for the Potters, accumulating 37 appearances last term.

Swansea are currently in the process of hunting for a replacement for the likely-to-depart Gylfi Sigurdsson. 

Along with Allen, the likes of Nacer Chadli, Jonathon Viera and even Jean Seri have been linked with the club.

It seems that Swansea might be keen on a reunion in the striking department as well. Manchester City outcast Wilfried Bony is heavily rumoured to be on his way back to the Liberty Stadium, where he would compete with Tammy Abraham and Fernando Llorente. The move would almost certainly see promising young striker Oli McBurnie sent out on loan,