Joe Allen admits joining Stoke City would never have been on the agenda a couple of years ago.

Allen admits he wouldn't have made the move to Stoke had it not been for the change of style they have undergone since Mark Hughes took charge.

He told the Telegraph: "It's pretty obvious that my type of play would not have suited Stoke years ago but the likes of Shaqiri, Arnautovic, Bojan, Afellay, Imbula, players they have brought in and others that have already been there, Whelan, Walters, Crouch, the list went on and on.

"It made it really appealing to me. That was one of the big reasons why I signed there.

"There were a few selling points. It was retaining the key players they had, they weren't looking to sell anyone and they were actively seeking to bring more quality in.

"That was music to my ears as a player who was potentially looking to join them."