Swansea City manager Michael Laudrup has warned Liverpool that they must prepare to pay at least £20 million for midfielder Joe Allen.
Former Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers has seemingly made 22-year-old Allen a high priority target as Liverpool seek to improve upon their disappointing 8th placed finish last season, but the Anfield club have already seen at least one offer turned down by the Danish manager, as he seeks to hold onto the metronomic midfielder.
Laudrup has identified the big money signings of Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson in previous years at Liverpool as a benchmark in any negotiations for the Welsh midfielder, and feels that Allen should cost more than the two players.
"He is worth a lot of money because he's a good player," Laudrup told Sky Sports.
"The manager knows him and knows if he wants to change the way Liverpool play he needs a player in the midfield like Joe Allen.
"But he also knows he's very, very expensive. We saw they bought a couple of midfielders in the last few years for a lot of money, but with all due respect Joe is on a level above.
"In my opinion, if one is worth £17m then Joe is worth more, perhaps over £20million. I'm talking as a football man not as a chairman but if the chairman asks my advice then I will tell him the same."
Laudrup also seemed dismissive over any potential cash-plus-player deal for Allen, amid suggestions that Liverpool plan to offer the Swans £12.5 million, in addition to attacking midfielder Jonjo Shelvey on a season-long loan. The former Danish international rejected the idea of anyone not considered good enough for Liverpool’s first eleven joining Swansea.
“If we could have (Luis) Suarez ...,” Laudrup mused, when asked about the possibility of any swap deals. “We have good players here and they have good players, but I can't see a player not in the starting 11 at Liverpool being in the starting 11 in our team.
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