Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United have both been linked with West Bromwich Albion outcast Saido Berahino in the past.
The January transfer window is nearly upon us and it is no secret that rival London bosses Slaven Bilic and Mauricio Pochettino at Spurs are in need of extra firepower.
The Hammers‘ failure to land a “marquee” striker during the summer has been brought sharply into focus during a largely torrid second season under Bilic.
It is a far cry from last season when West Ham enjoyed their best ever points total of the Premier League era, recorded a first positive goal difference since 1986 and finished just four points off the Champions League places in their emotional farewell campaign at Upton Park.
Since then a huge turnaround of nearly 20 players has seen the squad transformed – and arguably diluted – with 13 new signings and loan strikers Simone Zaza and Jonathan Calleri turning out to be flops.
West Ham United’s Andre Ayew looks dejected after a missed chance
Record £20.5 million signing Andre Ayew has spent most of his time injured and is set to depart for the African Nations with Ghana next week.
Meanwhile over at White Hart Lane, Spurs have ended up with Vincent Janssen as the only back-up to Harry Kane.
While Janssen has showed his class in flashes, he simply isn’t a reliable source of goals for the North Londoners when Kane is absent.
Tottenham’s Vincent Janssen
While the Hammers can probably aim for a repeat of seventh place at best this season, Tottenham very much have their eyes on cementing a Champions League spot at the very least as well as the Europa League to contend with.
With only injury-prone Andy Carroll and young striker Ashley Fletcher available to him this month after Diafra Sakho was ruled out for most of the remaining months of the season, Bilic’s need is perhaps more acute.
But both clubs could well see Baggies outcast Berahino as a gamble worth taking given recent comments from Tony Pulis.
The West Brom boss told Sky Sports the striker is struggling with physical and mental aspects of his game and is not yet ready for a return to first team football.
West Bromwich Albion’s Saido Berahino could be sold this January Tony Pulis has admitted
But he also conceded Berahino, a long-standing target for Spurs, could finally be on the move this January.
He has not played since September and has not scored in his last 14 games in all competitions for West Brom, a drought stretching back to February.
The 23-year-old recently returned to the club after being sent to a conditioning camp in France to help him lose weight and regain fitness.
Hardly the best sell for clubs like West Ham and Spurs to invest big money.
But perhaps for different reasons Berahino would make the ideal signing for either.
At West Ham he have a more realistic chance of starting than at Tottenham and Slaven Bilic has readily admitted he wants to buy British players with a proven track record in the Premier League.
A move to the 60,000 seater London Stadium could well be the change of scenery the player needs and if Bilic can get the best out of the 23-year-old it would be a wiser long-term investment than a move for Jermain Defoe.
Spurs meanwhile need back-up for Kane who is currently fit and scoring which means Berahino may get the time he would need to get back to full fitness before being thrust into the limelight at White Hart Lane.
Given the striker’s inactivity his price could well have dropped and cutting a deal with West Brom with a view to the medium to long-term over Berahino could prove money well spent.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
