Wales' Joe Allen. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
LYON, France (Reuters) - When Joe Allen walked through the door at Liverpool football club his former manager Brendan Rodgers beamed at the waiting television cameras and confidently proclaimed: "This is the Welsh Xavi".
It was perhaps an unenviable moniker for a young player making his way in the game and after four years at Anfield few would claim that Allen has lived up to comparisons to the great Spaniard, one of Europe's finest ever midfielders.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Win a prize this Mother's Day by subscribing to our annual plan now! T&C applies.
Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
