Speculation is mounting that Tottenham Hotspur are ready to test West Bromwich Albion’s (WBA) resolve with a £15m bid for young star striker Saido Berahino.

That has led to many debating on whether or not the twenty-one year old is ready to make such a big move.

His former boss at the Hawthorns, Alan Irvine has stated that he doesn’t think the forward is quite ready for that step up at the moment.

In an interview with BBC 5Live, Irvine 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,”

Alan goes on to say that Berahino certainly has vast potential and could reach a higher stage eventually.

But would Saido really struggle at Spurs? 

I actually think the move could be a decent one for him and suit him more than a move to one of the current ‘Top Four’ sides.

At White Hart Lane, Berahino would get more first team chances to show what he could do at a European level.

His England under-21 strike partner Harry Kane showed last season that under Mauricio Pochettino that young English players can thrive in the Tottenham starting line up , as long as they are good enough and take their chances!

Berahino actually has more English Premier League experience than Kane, making twenty-two more top flight appearances.

Both could play up-top together if Argentine coach Pochettino has enough guts to go with a striking duo. Or maybe the Spurs manager has different ideas and could put the young forward in one of the three spots in behind leadman Kane. Berahino has played on the left and in the hole behind a main striker in the past and his pace could be suited to pick up on flick ons from Harry Kane.

The fact he likes to have a few digs from outside the area could also be seen as proof that he could be suited playing somewhere off a main striker. Although I’d imagine that Spurs fans will hope he has a better strike rate than Andros Townsend!

Much is made of his age and attitude but the same things were said about Raheem Sterling. Yet the thing that people struggle to mention is that they are both talented young footballers with decent Premier League records already. In 2013-14 many people would have told you that Harry Kane wasn’t good enough to be in the Tottenham first team and won’t be good enough either. Yet he’s now being talked about as being a £40m striker.

I may anger Spurs supporters with this, but I really don’t think there is a huge step up between them and WBA. I don’t think the expectation will be huge and I don’t believe that challenging for a top four place is the place that Tottenham are at just now. Given some luck they could do it, but that might mean that they take a rik like signing a hunger young forward such as Saido.

The fee, of around £15m, isn’t ridiculous either. Again look at Sterling’s fee to Man City, now that was mental. These days getting a proven, young EPL goalscorer at a fee under £20m is seen as good business. Plus Tottenham shelled out £28m on Roberto Soldado and even that fee didn’t guarantee goals.

Some will question why aren’t the bigger sides looking at him? Well that isn’t always a bad thing. It’s actually a benefit to Spurs if anything and they need to try and snap up gems that the ‘bigger’ sides decided against purchasing. Plus if truth be told, I actually think Man Utd could do with a player like Berahino in their ranks.

Listen as long as Saido Berahino arrives at White Hart Lane ready to fight for a place in the first team, I see this being a bit of a no-brainer. As you’d be getting a great prospect who will only add goals to your team, if on form.

For me, he already has the qualities to go to London and shine at Tottenham!

Posted on July 28th, 2015 by scott
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