Saido Berahino believes if he can continue his good form, the West Bromwich Albion fans won’t begrudge him leaving for another club.
The 21-year-old is regarded as one of the hottest young properties in the Premier League, having burst onto the scene last season when he scored five goals after making his debut in September 2013. He has already bettered that total this time round, with nine goals in 23 league appearances, and this has led to him being linked with the likes of Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.
Berahino is currently under contract at the Hawthorns until the summer of 2017, although the club hope to persuade him to extend his stay. However, it appears as though the striker is already considering his potential future options, and believes the Albion faithful would understand if he decided to push for a move to a club at the top end of the league standings.
“I’ve got to stay focused on what I’m doing right now, which is scoring the goals and keeping West Brom in the Premier League,” Berahino, who was called up to the full England squad in November, told Sky Sports News HQ. “If I can keep them in the Premier League and score as many goals as I can, I’m pretty sure the fans wouldn’t mind me pushing on and going on to bigger things.”
The appointment of Tony Pulis, who replaced the sacked Alan Irvine, has given the West Brom fans fresh confidence that they can climb away from relegation trouble, but they are certainly still in a scrap. After 23 fixtures the Baggies are 15th in the Premier League table, but are only three points above third-bottom Hull City who they have only a slightly better goal difference than.
Pulis, meanwhile, was left frustrated on deadline day when West Ham United pulled the plug on his signing of Carlton Cole, who had agreed personal terms and passed a medical with the Midlands club. The 31-year-old is thought to have been furious that the Hammers vetoed his transfer, which was scrapped when they couldn’t get Emmanuel Adebayor from Tottenham Hotspur.
There was better news on deadline day for Albion as they secured the services of Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher, who arrived on a free transfer after the Reds agreed to his release due to his long-service at the club. During his time at Old Trafford, the 31-year-old Scot won five league titles, an FA Cup, two League Cups and, in 2008, the UEFA Champions League.
