As reported by The Telegraph, West Ham United target Joe Allen is on the verge of signing a new deal at Stoke City that will ensure he isn't moving anywhere this summer.

What's the story?

The paper say that despite interest from the Hammers over the last six months, no concrete offer has been made for the midfielder and he is set to pledge his future to the Potters.

Signed by Stoke for £12m, his wages were set to be slashed following relegation to the Championship, but the club want to keep him so much that they are willing to offer him a new deal, say The Telegraph.

However, that deal hasn't been signed, leaving a potential window for the Hammers to exploit. He could be an excellent buy at the right price for Manuel Pellegrini.

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Why should they sign him?

West Ham supporters may turn their nose up at the prospect of signing a relegated midfielder, but Joe Allen would add composure and technical ability to the Hammers midfield, alongside his dogged work ethic and determination.

As demonstrated by WhoScored,  his pass success rate of 81.1% in the Premier League last season is higher than every West Ham midfielder apart from fan favourite Manuel Lanzini. His key pass average of close to one per match is up there with Marko Arnautovic too.

His six assists show he does have an end product when allowed the freedom to roam forward.

In a defensive sense he could be a bonus too, with his 2.7 tackles per match being a higher average than every member of the West Ham squad, including all of their defenders.

He may not be a fashionable signing, but he'd be an effective one, and that's what West Ham need.

With his contract situation at Stoke City not yet resolved, the Irons should make their move and given the Welsh international a serious decision to make.