We’re now well into the second half of the January transfer window and Newcastle United’s fruitless hunt for a new striker to bare the brunt of their goalscoring burden is still an ongoing process. However, if recent rumours are to be believed, that could all be about to change.
Not happy with their £17million outlay for midfielders Jonjo Shelvey and Henri Saivet last week, The Chronicle claim that Magpies’ chairman Mike Ashley is ready to sanction a club record bid to secure the signature of unsettled West Brom and England forward Saido Berahino – as the Sports Direct Supremo seeks to provide head coach Steve McClaren with the ammunition to ensure the club can secure Premier League survival ahead of next season’s bumper £5bn television deal.
Newcastle’s current transfer record is the £16million fee they shelled out to sign Michael Owen from Real Madrid back in 2005, and that figure will have to be significantly gazumped if the Tynesiders are to land their number one January transfer target before the window slams shut on February 1st.
The reported interest in Berahino comes fresh on the heels of rumours linking Newcastle with a £10million+ swoop for Spurs’ winger Andros Townsend, and the Toon Army will be delighted to see the club straying from their controversial transfer policy by coughing up substantial fees for top young English talents, as opposed to cutting corners and scouring the continent for bargain buys at knockdown prices.
Berahino is still only 22-years of age, however, the controversial Baggies’ forward already comes with baggage and a tainted reputation that few professional footballers will manage to amass throughout the entirety of their careers.
Not content with falling out with current manager Tony Pulis over his lack of punctuality, Berahino unwisely chose to pick a fight with West Brom chairman Jeremy Pearce via his Twitter account after a proposed summer switch to Tottenham Hotspur fell through at the eleventh hour.
Despite vowing that he would never play for the Midlands’ club again in his ill-judged social media tirade, Berahino has still mustered 17 league appearances for West Brom so far during the 2015/16 campaign – although a majority of those have come from the substitutes’ bench – with Pulis seemingly deeming the disgruntled youngster too good to be expunged entirely.
In spite of his continued presence in West Brom’s squad, Berahino’s relationship with the club is broken beyond repair, and with just 18 months remaining on his Albion contract, both Pearce and Pulis are desperate to move on their prize-asset and problem child before his waning price tag depreciates any further.
Away from his off the field issues, there’s no doubting that Berahino is a precocious talent who is more than capable of forging out a highly successful career at the very top level of the game.
Blessed with blistering pace, a low centre of gravity and power that defies his slight 5’10 frame, the England u21 international already boasts an impressive goalscoring record in the English top flight, and it’s his eye for goal that is currently tempting Ashley to open his chequebook.
Although he first broke onto the scene under ex-Baggies’ manager Steve Clarke during the 2013/14 campaign, it was last season when Berahino enjoyed a meteoric rise to the top and really announced himself as one of England’s hottest young prospects.
The Burundi-born forward stepped up to the plate and established himself as West Brom’s number one striker during a tumultuous campaign, notching an impressive 14 league goals and 20 goals in all competitions to steer Albion away from the relegation zone and up to a respectable 13th placed Premier League finish.
The 22-year-old’s sizeable contribution was acknowledged by his peers when he scooped West Brom’s 2014/15 players’ player of the year award at the end of the season and the road was paved for him to go on and achieve even greater success this term.
However, the unsavoury events that transpired as a consequence of Berahino’s failed deadline-day transfer to Spurs have seriously hindered his progression, and a move away from The Hawthorns is exactly what he needs to reignite his young career before it stagnates.
The fact of the matter is that a player of Berahino’s calibre is simply too good to be languishing in the background for a lowly Premier League side of West Brom’s standing and, despite his illusions of grandeur, the Albion youngster should be looking to make an exit from the Midlands’ club at the first available opportunity – with Newcastle ready to offer him the fresh start he so badly needs.
The Magpies’ fortunes in front of goal have improved over recent weeks, however, their meagre goalscoring haul is the chief contributor behind their lowly position in the Premier League’s bottom three – with a run of four successive 1-0 defeats over the Christmas period leaving their top-flight status hanging in the balance heading into the business end of the season.
Aleksandar Mitrovic – Newcastle’s only fit centre-forward- has earned the adoration of the Geordie faithful as a result of his wholehearted, committed approach to the game, and the Serbian’s tireless work to retain possession and bring his teammates into play should not go unheralded.
However, the harsh truth is that the former Anderlecht man has been left found wanting when presented with a host of gilt-edged goalscoring opportunities, and he is not yet capable of scoring upwards of 10 goals a season.
Newcastle are crying out for someone who can convert their dominance into goals, and with gifted creative talents Jonjo Shelvey and Georginio Wijnaldum now embroidered into the heart of their midfield, Berahino would thrive at the top end of the Magpies’ starting XI.
Primarily operating on the shoulder of the last defender, Berahino’s lightning pace terrifies opposition back-fours, forcing them to sit deep and invite pressure through fear of being exposed in behind by his intelligent runs.
He is far from a one-trick pony, though. Not only does Berahino possess speed and agility, his trademark inside of the foot finishing evokes memories of Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, and his cool-head in front of goal is symptomatic of an individual who has an unwavering belief in his own ability.
Berahino’s versatility also makes him an attractive proposition to Newcastle. Although he’s at his best through the middle, the dexterous Albion forward is equally adept at slotting in either wide position, with his pace and aggressive, slaloming dribbles towards the area posing a real threat to opposing full-backs.
The attacking personnel in the Newcastle starting XI that impressively triumphed over West Ham at the weekend looked relatively strong on paper, however, the Magpies are just one injury away from a crisis, with below par backup players Yoan Gouffran, Gabriel Obertan, and Emmanuel Riviere not looking fit for purpose and Siem de Jong and Rolando Aarons struggling for fitness.
Berahino’s vast knowledge of the Premier League and precious ability to operate in any position across the frontline means he would instantly present Steve McClaren with a wealth of effective attacking options in his quest to direct Newcastle away from danger and into the upper echelons of the table.
The dynamic big and little forward partnership that was a mainstay in Premier League sides of the past has flirted with extinction over recent years, however, the prospect of Saido Berahino pairing with the Serbian bulldozer Aleksandar Mitrovic is a mouthwatering one.
Not only would the English striker be able to feed off Mitrovic’s intelligent flick ons and knock downs, but his ability to force teams to sit deep means that Mitro would be able to reek havoc in the opposition box- the area of the field where can do the most damage.
Convincing a player with Champions League aspirations to join a side sitting in the relegation zone with less than half of the season remaining will be no mean feat, but, if Berahino has indeed shown a willingness to discuss a potential deal, Newcastle should go all out to acquire the England u21 international.
The £12million signing of Jonjo Shelvey – who is conveniently managed by the same agency as Berahino – was a real statement of intent on the Magpies’ behalf, and if they can seal a sensational, record-breaking swoop for the Baggies’ forward, they will possess a squad more than capable of securing the 19+ points they’ll need to maintain their Premier League status over the remaining 16 games of the season.
For more of an insight into what Berahino can bring to the table, take a look at the video below:
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