Newcastle United have reportedly starting the bidding war for Saido Berahino with a £21m offer for the West Bromwich Albion striker.
The relegation-threatened Magpies are showing great ambition in the transfer market this month, having already spent £29m on Andros Townsend, Jonjo Shelvey and Henri Saivet.
Sky Sports understands that the offer is an up-front cash payment, but adds that Stoke City and Tottenham Hotspur are also in the running to sign the wantaway forward.
Tottenham had three bids rejected for the 22-year-old last summer, including one in the region of £23m which included instalments, and infuriated West Brom bosses.
According to Sky Sports, Albion chairman Jeremy Peace is adamant that he will not sell Berahino this window, but could the structure of Newcastle’s bid tempt him?
The Burundi-born striker’s value is only going to drop as his contract winds down – it expires in 2017 -and he continues to sit on the bench for manager Tony Pulis.
Berahino started yesterday’s FA Cup fourth-round draw with Peterborough United and scored both of West Brom’s goals, but has not started in the Premier League since October.
Pulis has cited disciplinary and fitness issues as reasons for Berahino’s omission, likely stemming from him being refused a move to White Hart Lane last summer.
Berahino is believed to strongly favour a switch to Spurs, but it remains to be seen whether they will match Newcastle’s offer before tomorrow’s 11pm deadline.
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