Tottenham and Saido Berahino: the never ending transfer saga

Tottenham still has their eyes set on West Brom forward Saido Berahino

Just when you thought Tottenham’s interest in West Brom starlet Saido Berahino was over, news comes to pull you back in. Reports have surfaced that Spurs will have the right of first refusal to buy Berahino in the summer.

Neil Moxley of The Mirror has broken the story that Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has come to a gentleman’s agreement with West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace regarding Berahino. The report is that Spurs will have the right to match any bid that comes in for Berahino during the summer transfer window. Per Moxley’s report, Berahino prefers a move to Tottenham which also will factor into any potential deal.

The really interesting nugget of the story is that the loan of Alex Pritchard to West Brom played some role in mending the relationship between Peace and Levy. Many Tottenham fans perceived Pritchard’s loan as a sign that a Berahino purchase would go through in January. Of course, those hopes were dashed as Peace held to his promise not to sell his young forward in the middle of the season.

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While I’m somewhat skeptical of any sort of gentleman’s agreement between the two chairmen, it does make quite a bit of logical sense. Peace has to know that he can’t hold on to Berahino long-term, and given his contract status this summer will be his last chance to cash in on his starlet.

If Peace really is resigned to selling Berahino in the summer, why not sell to Spurs? Their money spends just as good as any other club’s and if it allowed them to bring in Pritchard it’s a no-brainer for Peace to agree.

For Spurs, it makes just as much sense. Pritchard looked set to receive another loan to the Championship before West Brom’s interest emerged. Levy could have played hard ball and tried to stick it to Peace, but that wasn’t in the best interest of Pritchard’s development. He’d already proven his worth in the Championship, he needed to receive a Premier League challenge.

Levy, being the shrewd businessman, saw an opportunity to get a little more than just player development out of the Pritchard loan. It makes perfect sense that he’d push Peace a little harder for a Berahino related concession. If it didn’t mean a deal happening in January, a right of first refusal in the summer was the next best option.

It’s far from a certainty that Berahino will be a Tottenham player next season, but as Spurs fan I’m warming to the idea. Mauricio Pochettino cannot want to go another season with just one senior striker so it seems likely that Spurs will purchase someone. Why not swoop in and take advantage of Berahino’s contract ticking down? It would be vintage Daniel Levy.