Saturday 23 July 2016 08:37, UK
Swansea's American investor Jason Levien has confirmed the club's interest in re-signing Wales midfielder Joe Allen.
Liverpool this week accepted a £13m bid from Stoke for the 26-year-old, despite Allen impressing during his country's run to the semi-finals of Euro 2016.
His efforts saw him included in the official team of the tournament and now his former club could feature prominently in the rush to lure him from Anfield.
Levien and his fellow American Steve Kaplan head up the consortium that has taken a controlling interest in Swansea having sealed a reported £110m deal.
Asked about Allen - a player sold by the Welsh club to Liverpool for £15m in 2012 - Levien said: "He is certainly someone we have discussed.
"Thinking about how additions to the club will fit in with the current structure is something we spend a lot of time on.
"He is someone who obviously has a great history here. He is still a young player. He is someone who multiple clubs are interested in, us included.
"Huw (Jenkins, Swansea chairman) and I are in ongoing discussions. We are leaning on his (Jenkins') wisdom, and also the right kind of process to figure out whether that's the right addition for us.
"He is someone we have our eye on. I think that (a bid for Allen) is something we are discussing, but we haven't made a definitive bid on him at this point."
Potential striker recruitment is also a priority of Swansea's but a successful swoop for Allen would show an immediate statement of intent from the new owners.
Levien's consortium will purchase "about 68 per cent of the club" and he feels they are well placed to make a positive impact.
He added: "Steve and I both have the benefit of looking at the lessons learnt from other foreign owners - what's worked and what hasn't worked - so we can avoid some of those pitfalls.
"We think the experience we both have in team ownership, coming into a community that cares deeply about its club and navigating that and trying to lead it towards success, is something we have done in basketball and football in the US.
"This is my fifth season as the manager/general owner of (MLS club) DC United and I've grown and learnt a lot from that experience.
"I think we take all of the lessons and bring them here. Our love of sport and competition are things that drive us.
"We want to think very strategically about the business side of the club, and how we grow that, and that is going to lead to opportunities to enhance the football side of the club."
