Joe Allen Contract Talks Have "Gone Very Quiet"

Though the January transfer window has been quiet in recent years for Liverpool, that doesn't stop players from feeling out of sorts about their futures with the club. Liverpool's deepening injury crisis means it's unlikely that anyone will get sold in the next few weeks, but the summer window will arrive soon enough and it's likely that Jürgen Klopp will send more than a few players on their way.

One such player could very well be wee Joe Allen. Allen has a year-and-a-half left on his current contract, and though talk of an extension was all the rage last March, the midfielder never ended up signing that new contract for reasons that were never made known.

"That is something which has gone very quiet," Allen said on the topic of his contract. "I am not too sure really. I have made only one league start this season and I want to play more, I think that is obvious for any player in that situation. From my point of view it is about knuckling down, doing my job and giving my best, which I always do."

Allen's confusion over the state of his future comes on the heels of a stellar performance against Stoke City in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday. Injuries to James Milner and Jordan Henderson have freed up space in midfield, and with one of Lucas or Emre Can likely to start at centre back for at least one more match this month, there should be more than enough minutes for the Welshman for the time being.

Purchased for the princely sum of £15m by former manager Brendan Rodgers, Allen has often been included on the list of players who might be finding new homes this summer. Wanting more playing time is fair enough, and there have been suggestions that Rodgers himself might snap the player up for a chance to manage him for the third time, presuming he finds himself another reasonably high level management job.

Whether recent performances will be enough to give Jürgen Klopp a second look at the Welsh Pirlo is anyone's guess, but for now Liverpool are still benefiting in a significant way from the diminutive midfielder's current form during a very tough period for the team.