“He loves this club, I love him as a player. I will say it. I would love to [sign him]. We’ll have to wait and see."
After seeing his side end the season on a frustratingly disappointing note at home to Queens Park Rangers, Russell Martin's attention quickly turned to what is likely to be a hugely important summer.
In many ways, the defeat on the final day summed up Swansea City's season under his stewardship. The ideas were there. So too was the endeavour. But the quality of execution wasn't quite at the required levels.
After what was something of a whirlwind appointment on the eve of the opening day of the campaign, a large proportion of his reign so far has been spent getting his players up to speed. Barely a press conference went by without the word 'conditioning' cropping up at some point.
A first full pre-season with his squad will certainly be roundly welcomed, but Martin will know that there is now likely to be less margin for error. Getting things right in the summer is crucial, and the transfer market will unquestionably be a big part of that.
Martin has already spoken about getting the right 'characters' on board over the coming weeks. Players who won't need convincing when it comes to philosophy. Players prepared to knuckle down. Players who will ultimately 'trust the process'.
Judging by the way he laid his cards on the table on the final day, it's clear he believes that Wales international and hometown hero Joe Allen fits the bill perfectly. Of course, Allen is set to become a free agent this summer, so on the face of things a move appears to make perfect sense. However, the reality of bringing the midfielder back to the club is a little more complicated.
As things stand, and despite the rumblings of speculation, Swansea are yet to make any sort of concrete offer for Allen. Indeed, at the time of writing, it seems the only offer on the table is from current club Stoke City, who are clearly keen on keeping the midfielder for another season at least.
There's no shortage of other suitors should the Potters and Allen decide to part ways. As well as Swansea, he is understood to have attracted interest from around a dozen other clubs, including two Premier League sides (believed to be Bournemouth and Fulham), as well as a few from abroad.
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Such competition will understandably leave many pessimistic about the possibility of getting a move done. But Allen himself is understood to be open to a return, providing that it's on the right terms. It means Swansea don't necessarily have to offer a more financially lucrative package than the others, but they will need to remain competitive if there is to be any hope of a move materialising.
An exact figure isn't clear at this stage, but it's understood that Allen would likely be seeking a wage comparable to other first- team stars, such as skipper Matt Grimes, who signed a new deal earlier in the season amid keen interest from Fulham.
Last season is only now starting to disappear from the rearview mirror, but there are already doubts over whether Swansea are capable of putting such a package together. Indeed, there seems to be a lack of clarity over what sort of budget Martin himself will be working with this summer, and that could well prove costly.
With that in mind, it's difficult not to get the distinct feeling that Swansea's window will largely be defined by departures. Joel Piroe is an obvious one as he's by far the most valuable asset in this team - the sort of player whose departure could perhaps help bankroll a few arrivals, including Allen.
But there are others.
Letting go of the likes of Jay Fulton and Liam Walsh would also certainly go some way to enhancing Swansea's chances. Neither player is really likely to be a part of Martin's plans, and Allen will certainly be seen as a tidy upgrade.
Letting those two would likely dramatically improve Swansea's chances, but finding a suitor for either player will be easier said than done. Even if they do find a willing buyer for either player, a deal will likely take time to finalise. Martin himself has hinted that a departure or two could help to grease the wheels, although clearly even in that scenario, the Swans would largely be banking on Allen sticking around.
Despite the complexities involved, Martin's enthusiasm for bringing Allen on board is clearly still there, although judging by his latest comments, he might just be a little more pessimistic about whether a deal can get done.
"I don't think there's a gap in the squad for Joe Allen," Martin told BBC Sport Wales recently. "There may be a gap in the squad [in the future] and he is one person who we would definitely be interested in to fill it.
"But at the moment I think it would be a difficult one. It's whether we can interest Joe enough to wait."
The clock is ticking.
