Joe Allen: 'It was obvious that I needed to leave Liverpool'

Liverpool's Joe Allen celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Exeter City on January 20, 2016
© AFP
Stoke City midfielder Joe Allen says that it was "pretty obvious" that he "needed" to leave Liverpool.

Joe Allen has claimed that it was "pretty obvious" that it was time for him to leave Liverpool.

The midfielder signed for Stoke City in a reported £13m deal in the summer transfer window after falling down the pecking order at Anfield.

The Wales international, who joined the Reds from Swansea City for around £15m in 2012, had to settle for a spot on the substitutes' bench under manager Jurgen Klopp last season.

Allen previously revealed that he learned that Liverpool wanted to sell him via a text message from his friend.

Now, the 26-year-old has claimed that he made the right decision in moving on.

"I feel refreshed and really positive," Allen told reporters. "I think it had come to the point where I knew I needed to move on. Personally, it was pretty obvious.

"Hopefully, I will get much more game time now and I think that is going to be really important for me in my international career as well.

"Any player will tell you regular football makes tonnes of difference to the way you perform and the way you feel out on the football pitch. It comes to a certain stage in your career where, if it's not happening, then you have to go and seek it out."

Allen scored his first international goal in Wales' 4-0 win over Moldova in Monday's World Cup qualifier.

Manchester City's Ivorian striker Wilfried Bony celebrates scoring the opening goal during the English League Cup quarter-final football match between Manchester City and Hull City at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, northwest England on December 1, 2015
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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Manchester CityMan City33009369
2Chelsea33007259
3Manchester UnitedMan Utd33006159
4Everton32104227
5Hull City32014226
6Middlesbrough31203215
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs31203215
8Arsenal31116514
9Leicester CityLeicester31113304
10West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom31112204
11Liverpool311156-14
12West Ham UnitedWest Ham310235-23
13Burnley310224-23
14Swansea CitySwansea310224-23
15Southampton302124-22
16Sunderland301235-21
17Crystal Palace301213-21
18Watford301236-31
19Bournemouth301225-31
20Stoke CityStoke301226-41