There’s always a plenty of buzz surrounding young English players who excel at the younger age groups. Thus, it is no surprise that there’s a spotlight on the West Brom striker Saido Berahino who had an impressive season in the league and there’s plenty more to come from the young attacker.
Tottenham’s interest in Saido Berahino has cooled, according to the reports, leaving Chelsea as the frontrunners for the striker’s signature. The Express claims that Spurs are worried about the potentially de-establishing influence Berahino could have on the team. Interim Chelsea manager, Guus Hiddink, though has added Berahino’s name to a shortlist of strikers, to replace Ramadel Falcao and possibly Loic Remy, if he leaves. Saido Berahino could be exchanging sullen handshakes with Guus Hiddink, rather than Tony Pulis, soon enough.
Hiddink’s second choice striker, Loic Remy has only just recovered from an ankle injury while #3 Ramadel Falcao is weeks away from playing, thanks to a thigh problem. An injury to Costa more substantial the bruised knee he suffered in the FA Cup win over Scunthrope on Sunday would leave Chelsea woefully short. Besides, Remy is being targeted by Galatasary, Newcastle, Villa and Palace.
Everything you need to know about him:
Born 14th August 1993, in Burundi, Saido Berahino is a forward currently playing for West Brom. He broke onto the scene in the 2013-14 season, scoring 9 goals in 35 games including a hat-trick in the FA Cup on his debut while his first premier league goal was the winner in a 2-1 victory over Manchester United. However, it was the 2014-15 season where is grabbed the attention of the elite clubs. 14 goals in 38 premier league appearances was a very impressive return for a 21-year-old playing in a side that struggled to score goals.
What makes him one of the best youth players?
Standing at only 5’11”, he certainly isn’t the tallest of strikers but he is very strong for his height. He’s able to shield the ball from the opposition rather well, meaning his hold-up play is much better than expected. However, when given space to run with the ball or behind a defense, he can cause havoc. His blistering pace allows him to exploit a high-line held by an opposition defense whilst his smart movement allows him to create space within the box to get into a goal-scoring position which is a rare trait to have for someone so young and raw.
One aspect of his game that is vastly under-rated is his passing ability. A striker’s ability to pass the ball well allows them to bring others into play, create goal-scoring chances and dictate the direction of the attack. Berahino’s passing success rate is 83%, just behind Rooney. Another area of his game that is really impressive is his shot accuracy. In this aspect he is better than Rooney and Aguero. When he shoots, he often hits the target. Versatility is a key area in which Berahino shines. He seems comfortable on the right hand side and central midfield role, and playing in these roles, he can in turn improve his performances and can give a very good return.
Weaknesses
The only area where he needs some enrichment is the ability to finish and his left foot. He has a lot of talent, and with right coaching system around him, he could easily blossom into a 15-20 goal a season striker. Hopefully, he reaches his potential.