According to reports from The Independent this morning, Tottenham Hotspur will launch a bid for West Bromwich Albion striker Saido Berahino at some point this week.
The 21 year-old has just come to the end of a strong season at the Hawthorns, finishing up as the club’s top scorer and the Premier League’s third-top scoring Englishman with 14 goals in 32 league starts.
Reports last week revealed Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino views the Burundi-born poacher as the perfect accomplice to Harry Kane, with flopped strikers Roberto Soldado and Emmanuel Adebayor both expected to move on this summer.
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Arsenal and Liverpool are both long-term admirers of the England U21, who is actually the Junior Lions’ third all-time leading goalscorer after Alan Shearer and Francis Jeffers, whilst Baggies boss Tony Pulis is hoping to nullify interest by doubling Berahino’s wages to £30k per-week.
But according to The Independent, the Lilywhites will make a £15million offer at some point this week.
Meanwhile, former West Brom manager Alan Irvine – who Pulis replaced in January – believes Berahino isn’t ready for a move to White Hart Lane. Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, he said; “Is he ready to play a huge part at a club like Tottenham who want to be challenging for the top four? Probably not yet.
“I always said to Saido that as long as he kept focus and did the right thing then he would continue to develop. He is a player who certainly has the potential to become a very good striker. It’s important that he plays. He’s at the stage of his career where he needs to play regular games. He’s got a talent. His movement is very good.”
I am curious to see how a Kane-Berahino partnership would work out; presumably both would demand a starting spot considering their form last season.
In light of this, as well as the news that Lamela may well be moving to Porto, does this mean Pochettino will try out a formation with a two-man forward line next season? I don’t think Berahino is particularly effective as a wide man, plus Chadli was in excellent form last season, and I would argue that Eriksen is a natural #10 and is more peripheral out wide.
Not sure this is the best move for either side – I agree with Irvine that Berahino should stick around at the Hawthorns for at least another season. He’s guaranteed a starting spot in his best position and is also guaranteed to be the focal point of his side’s attack. He’s only 21, and if he maintains his form there’s no reason he wouldn’t have an equal number of suitors next summer.