Saido Berahino warned about behaviour

Saido Berahino warned about behaviour and could start against Stoke

• ‘He just lapses, it’s not because he’s a bad lad,’ says Tony Pulis
• Manager claims West Bromwich do not want to sell 22-year-old


Saido Berahino’s attitude has annoyed his manager Tony Pulis.

Tony Pulis insists Saido Berahino has improved his behaviour after he was warned about his attitude and the West Bromwich Albion striker could now start against Stoke City on Saturday.

The West Bromwich manager had claimed he was lucky to be on the bench for Monday’s 1-0 win over Newcastle, where he was a substitute for the eighth consecutive game after hints at behind-the-scenes troubles.

Berahino’s time-keeping is understood to have been a problem in the past and it has been his general attitude which Pulis has taken issue with though the manager has drawn a line under it.

“It’s got nothing to do with anybody apart from me and Saido,” Pulis said. “He’s trained well this week, he’s been in on time and he’s done everything that everyone else has done.

“He just lapses, it’s not because he’s a bad lad or anything. It’s just the way he is, it’s just him growing up and recognising it’s about the group, about the team, and the football club. That’s all done and dusted, we’ve moved on from that.

“The kid came on and did really well for 30 minutes [against Newcastle] and he’s got a great chance of playing on Saturday.”

Berahino has scored just three goals this season after threatening to strike on deadline day when the Baggies rejected two bids from Tottenham. West Bromwich are braced for further interest from Spurs in the transfer window after they rejected four offers in total in the summer.

Any deal will have to be significantly better business for the Baggies with the previous bids based around clauses and Tottenham’s final amount rising to £23m in several stages.

Pulis claimed Albion did not want to sell the 22-year-old. “I was asked that question two windows ago and I said exactly the same,” he said. “The club would love to keep him.”

Salomón Rondón and James McClean remain banned for the Baggies and they will assess Jonas Olsson and Victor Anichebe (both hamstring) ahead of the visit of Stoke.

Guardian