Big temptation for Saido Berahino to join Tottenham but he should turn it down

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West Brom striker is now free to negotiate with clubs, 18 months after his move to Tottenham was blocked.

The New Year has opened up a host of new options for West Bromwich Albion striker Saido Berahino, with the striker having just six months to run on his contract.

He is free to negotiate with clubs and sign a pre-contract agreement, and while a compensation tribunal would net the Baggies a fee, clubs would be able to get him at a fraction of the £25 million fee West Brom rejected from Tottenham Hotspur for him in the summer of 2015. [The Mail]

Tottenham are considered to be outsiders to sign Berahino this coming summer with bookies SkyBet pricing them as third favourites behind Stoke City and Everton.

West Bromwich Albion’s Saido Berahino in action

Berahino was keen to join Spurs at the time and there is an obvious temptation for him to reach for the stars by pushing to join Mauricio Pochettino’s side, who are battling to qualify for the Champions League for a second successive year.

A switch would also stick it to West Brom and show he can get his own way after all, and while there is an attraction in doing so, Berahino should look at the bigger picture and reject Tottenham’s advances if they are forthcoming.

This is because the past two seasons for Berahino have been disappointing, and he has been an after thought at West Brom.

At times he has not looked like a £2.5 million striker let alone a £25 million one, and he has started only three Premier League games this season, with no goals to show for it.

West Brom’s Saido Berahino

Last season he scored only four times, and his struggles are more than just mental; there are genuine questions over whether he is good enough to start regularly at Premier League level.

There is one way for him to prove he is, and this is with a fresh start where he can play regularly.

Tottenham cannot provide this for him, and Berahino would become third choice behind Vincent Janssen, in a team which plays only one striker up front, Harry Kane.

Becoming a high profile substitute with even more spotlight shone on his troubles is not what Berahino needs right now, and he needs to make a less ambitious career move as his next option.