Thursday 19 January 2017 17:50, UK
Stoke City have made a formal bid to buy West Bromwich Albion striker Saido Berahino, according to Sky sources.
Sky Sports News HQ understands the offer is considerably less than the £20m that Tottenham bid made 18 months ago - an amount which was rejected, as was a similar bid from Stoke last summer.
Berahino has not played for Albion since September and was sent to a training camp in France last month to improve his fitness.
The 23-year-old hasn't scored a Premier League goal since February last year, having previously struck 20 times in the 2014/15 campaign.
Despite that, he has attracted constant interest from other sides since first showing signs of wanting to leave The Hawthorns.
Newcastle are another side who tried to secure the forward last January but their package, which would have seen them pay £21m up front, was thrown out.
More recently, Watford attempted to secure Berahino before this season began but were also rebuffed.
Leicester are another side who have shown interest in the past, although that was dependent on Jamie Vardy leaving for Arsenal and he instead signed a new deal at the King Power Stadium.
Berahino was offered a new contract for the third time by West Brom last month despite making just five appearances this season.
Getting the player to agree a deal would allow West Brom to set a release clause of £20m for the player but he has so far refused to sign it.
Berahino's present deal expires at the end of the season and if he leaves then, the club are likely to be entitled to a development fee from whoever he plays for next.
Where the player goes next could be crucial, however, and if he chooses to move abroad he could do so with West Brom receiving nothing for him.
Manager Tony Pulis appears to be growing increasingly wary of the saga and said last week: "The club has offered him a new contract not just this week, but in previous months too.
"They've been in negotiations with Saido, so we'll just see how that pans out. The deals have been on the table for the boy and his agent - we'll see how that pans out.
"Again, we've hit the funny month. He's only got one more month left of this if he doesn't sign, so that's probably a bonus for me.
"If we sell him we will work very, very hard to get a replacement in. If we don't sell him, we'll have to work very, very hard to get him back to what he was 18 months ago."
