West Bromwich Albion looked like they might have England’s next big star in 2013 when a young Saido Berahino burst onto the scene.
Having represented England at all youth levels from U16s to U21, after a stellar breakout season which included a hat-trick against Newport County and the winning goal at Old Trafford against Manchester United, he was called up to the senior squad.
Should West Brom have just sold Berahino to Spurs?
The youngster did not get any game time, however, later switching his allegiance to Burundi in 2018.
But before that, it seemed like he would soon have the world at his feet.
The 2014/15 season was his true standout year, as he bagged 14 times in the Premier League as well as scoring five and assisting five more in just four FA Cup appearances. He announced himself as much more than just an academy graduate who had enjoyed a fortunate start.
He had already scored 36 goals before the age of 23.
It was, however, these performances that proved to be his downfall, as they inevitably drew attention from clubs much bigger than the Baggies.
A rejected bid from Tottenham Hotspur led the striker to vow never to play again for West Brom, souring his relationship with the fans and ownership.
His playtime unsurprisingly dwindled following this damning claim, and along with it his goals. Despite a combined 32 appearances across the 2016/17 and 2017/18 seasons, he did not score a single goal in the league.
Having been touted for a £22m move away in 2015, to manage a £12m fee from Stoke City in 2017 despite his form having dropped off significantly was impressive business.
His story will always be a tale of ‘what if?’, as many question how high he could have gone had Spurs managed to secure the deal for him.
It was said that his attitude is what let him down, with his Hawthorns outburst standing as a testament to that. Glen Johnson actually revealed how he acted when playing at the Potters, claiming: “He had the wrong mentality. It was every day. I didn’t like him.”
Berahino now plays his football in Cyprus for AEL Limassol, marking the tragic end of a career that promised so much.
With the right attitude, he could certainly have overcome the setback of being denied his dream move to continue progressing forward. Instead, he nosedived his own career out of pettiness and has now paid the price.
