Russell Martin was quite right to emphasise the fact that a player of Joe Allen’s standing has to be accommodated by players leaving the club. As an example If Jay Fulton actually does leave, yes that leaves the door open for a conversation with Joe. Irrespective of his desire to rejoin Swansea at a far reduced salary, players like Fulton are key.
Obviously if a big sale went through at Swansea - Joel Piroe remains the subject of speculation, and any move for him away from Swansea would grease the wheels for Joe to come in. That’s all obvious and numerous others could join without players like Fulton and Ryan Bennett’s salary being an issue. Fulton’s stalling in January after being more than aware he wasn’t to feature in Russell Martin’s future plans hasn’t helped matters. Ryan Bennett who is older is in a slightly different position and should leave now he is more than aware he isn’t required at Swansea. If a club can match his wage demands.
Speaking on Joe Allen to the BBC Martin stated "I don't think there's a gap in the squad for Joe Allen. There may be a gap in the squad in the future, and he is one person who we would definitely be interested in to fill it. But at the moment I think it would be a difficult one. It's whether we can interest Joe enough to wait. There are going to be lots of interest and I will just be one of a number of managers who will be interested. So much in football is timing and opportunity."
For us that’s a clear message to the likes of Fulton who plays a similar role to Allen that if they move on Allen comes in. It’s not as being reported that the swans are not interested in him. Everything doesn’t come at once and those summer transfer talks won’t move forwards until June, so Martin is more than right to say what he did. It’s stating the obvious, but others will twist it round and make it fit some agenda.
We are certain that Joe ‘will wait’ as Martin has suggested, it’s very early days. Surely if he wants to come back to Swansea then patience is the main ingredient, and if he possesses that we still think ‘timing and opportunity’ will fall in to place. And Joe will become a Swansea City player.
But patience on all sides is crucial.