Saido Berahino has reported back for training at West Bromwich Albion, reports said yesterday.
Berahino was expected back at the club’s training base in the afternoon after being granted a period of leave following the fall-out from his protracted move to Tottenham and he was there along with the rest of the Albion squad not on international duty.
It is understood the 22-year-old took part in a session under the watchful eye of coach Tony Pulis, who was planning to speak to the player over dinner.
Pulis now has the delicate task of reintegrating a player who last week wanted to leave.
Berahino was the subject of several bids from Tottenham during the transfer window and attempted to force through a move, first by submitting a transfer request and then with a tweet in which he threatened “I can officially say I will never play (for club chairman) Jeremy Peace”.
However, Pulis insists Berahino will play for West Brom again, although he accepts he will have to work hard to win over both team-mates and fans. The player’s feud with Peace, though, may rumble on.
“His gripe is with Jeremy – as far as I’m concerned, he will play for West Brom again,” Pulis said.
“The problem is that he thinks he is being used.
“If you look at the club, Jeremy has sold players when it has suited him. Look at Shane Long, he sold him (to Hull) at a time when the club was left without a recognised forward. I think Saido thinks (Peace) is just looking at finances all the time.
“Saido’s problem has been how he’s gone about it.
“I spoke to Saido and told him not to get involved in anything else but football but again, unfortunately, he didn’t listen. By handing in a transfer request, he only antagonised the whole situation.
“Respect has to be earned and Saido has to learn that lesson. West Brom have nurtured Saido’s career for over a decade, they deserve respect and at times unwillingly he has shown them little.”
Berahino scored 14 Premier League goals, and 20 in all competitions, last season but has played just twice so far during the current campaign, without finding the back of the net.
Pulis has not selected the striker since the goalless draw at Watford on August 15 due to concerns over his state of mind.
Berahino earned his first call-up to the senior England squad in November for games against Slovenia and Scotland.
West Brom resume league action against South-ampton at The Hawthorns on Saturday.