Its not Champ Manager.
Its a well known fact that clubs have negotiated terms with the interested club before a fee agreed almost in every deal. This is because clubs haggling over a fee takes four times the time as agreeing wages with a player who wants a move.
Most clubs contact the agent first before doing anything to sound out if the player would even be interested before they go to the aggro of contact the club and negotiating. there's no point spending what can be sometimes months worth of work agreeing a deal with a club, only to be then be told by the player he isn't interested.
I suppose technically thats 'tapping up' but its the accepted way of doings in deals now.
The reason I know this is because a friend I went to School with is now a Professional footballer and has been transfered 3 times so we got to see how these things went down by being around him at those times. (I won't say who he is for obvious reasons but he started at Liverpool and as moved clubs twice and is still a Premier League player)
Also, where getting all our crddible info on this deal from the Liverpool Echo (inparticular Neil Jones) who basically are inside the club and are used by the club when they want stuff leaked. They have confirmed that LFC know Allen wants the move and all thats left is the negotiations between the two clubs, and although Jenkins is pissed at Brendan breaking his promise have resigned to him going so are now trying to get the best deal possible. There basically 'hinting' (can't say it outright) that he has already agreed terms. There printing this as fans are getting restless about lack of signings so this is them saying we've got some in the pipework. What they usually do.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/live...-on-brink-of-fiorentina-move-100252-31512012/
Chris Bascombe of the Telegraph is another Journo (as well as Tony Barrett of The Times and Ben Smith of the BBC) who has proven inside contacts at the club. He said our MD stayed home from the US Tour so as he could carry on working on this deal with Swansea. Ayre was very notably absent from the tour which was a surprise given his usual conduct of wanting to be centre stage. He also has a proven track record and is trustworthy.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...Alberto-Aquilani-back-to-an-Italian-club.html
Tony Barrett has also said in The Times (Times is a pay-site) that negotiations are continuing and Ben Smith (@BenSmithBBC) has confirmed this but hinted its a lot further along than that. The Olympics will hold everything up no matter what.
So there is a little evidence from the Echo that Allen has give Liverpool the nod and perhaps even agreed terms but there is nothing as concrete as A Casual Fan is making out above.