West Bromwich Albion striker Saido Berahino has reportedly rejected terms on a new contract and is expected to be sold this summer given he has just one year left on his deal. The 22-year-old has been at loggerheads with the Midlands club for some time after being refused a move to Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United previously, but he’s likely to be cashed in on rather than Albion losing him for very little next summer.
Saido Berahino scored just four league goals in 31 games last season for West Brom, and is clearly unhappy having to stay at the Hawthorns. While having apologised for comments made to West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace – refusing to play for the club while Peace remained at the helm – Berahino is once again fighting with the side to be allowed to leave.
Almost certain to exit at the end of his contract if West Brom continue to reject offers, Berainho is expected to be inundated with offers from Premier League clubs ahead of the new season. Stoke City are one side who have been linked with the young and pacey forward, but Tottenham could well get some real value for a former target due to Albion’s mistreatment of the player.
Spurs saw a £20M bid rejected for Berahino last season with problems over the fee being paid in instalments, but now the London club are in a strong position as Albion won’t want to lose their striker for free. Berahino would command a tribunal fee next summer, but it pales in comparison to the bids rejected by Peace in the last 12 months.
The striker’s stock rose dramatically after he was named West Brom’s Player of the Year with 14 goals scored in the Premier League in 2014/15, but he’s looked out of shape and low on motivation since. Tottenham, however, would feel it wouldn’t take long to get the play back to match fitness, and his particular skill set would see him fit in perfectly at White Hart Lane.
Full of pace and energy, while being a hard-working forward, Saido Berahino would be an ideal player to add to the squad under manager Mauricio Pochettino. He is a ruthless finisher in the final third, ticks the box for homegrown talent, and is still young enough to be developed. Tottenham were willing to pay £20M for the player before, but could now get Berahino for a fraction of that.
With Harry Kane and summer-signing Vincent Janssen as Tottenham’s only strikers in the first-team, should they try their hand at Berahino again?
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