Newcastle United 'plan to make last-ditch bid' for West Brom star Saido Berahino

Newcastle United will reportedly make a last-ditch effort to sign Saido Berahino before the January transfer window closes. The 22-year-old has been persistently linked with a move away from West Bromwich Albion and the Magpies are thought to be among the clubs interested in his services.

Berahino nearly left The Hawthorns in the summer, when he came close to signing for Tottenham Hotspur. Since then, however, he has been in and out of the West Brom team, and manager Tony Pulis recently admitted the forward had failed to recapture his sparkling form of last season.

Newcastle boss Steve McClaren is keen to take the player to St James' Park, with Aleksandar Mitrović struggling in front of goal. The Magpies intend to make an £18m ($25.6m, €23.67m) bid for the sought-after forward, according to the Daily Star.

Meanwhile, Pulis has admitted the uncertainty surrounding his future at West Brom is damaging Berahino's career. "He has to clear his mind and get down to doing what he does best and that's playing," the West Brom boss said. "This situation is not doing anyone any favours and it's certainly not doing Saido any at all.

"He's a footballer and a young lad who has a tremendous talent. He should be a 38 games a season man, every season. He's missed too many games this half of the season without a doubt."

Pulis also stressed to Berhaino the need for him to be respectful towards his current employers, West Brom.

"He has to realise and recognise that whichever way it goes, whichever way the wind blows, it's about football and his football life," the West Brom manager said. "Saido still has 18 months-two years left of his contract. No one broke his hand to sign that contract, so he's got to respect that the club have looked after him well.

"I said to him, sometimes in life things don't run your way and you have to react in a way that'll take you the next step. You can't fall over and stay down too long, you have to get straight back up."