Tottenham to have first refusal on Saido Berahino next summer

West Bromwich Albion have handed Tottenham Hotspur a first refusal clause on Saido Berahino in the summer after a series of discussions involving chairman Daniel Levy and Baggies Owner Jeremy Peace. Spurs had tried their level best to sign Berahino in the last two transfer windows, but were fended off on each occasion, with the owner adamant to keep him at the club until the end of the season.

The Sunday People reports that a truce has been reached between the two parties after Tottenham allowed coveted youngster Alex Pritchard to move on loan to the Hawthorns and that the Baggies will listen to offers from Tottenham first before deciding their course of action at the start of next season. Pritchard, who has been on the periphery this season owing to a series of injuries, was being scouted by a lot of clubs in the Premier League, but was eventually sent to West Brom in a bid to strengthen the relationship between the two sides.

Tottenham will face competition from Newcastle to buy Berahino, with owner Mike Ashley putting in a £24m ($34m) bid for the player on deadline day. The Magpies were ready to pay all the money up front, something Tottenham will be loath to do, given the need to finance their new stadium, which will come into effect next season.

Berahino is reportedly interested in moving to north London giving Tottenham a clear sight on their top target, but Spurs have to match any bid coming in for rival clubs, which may prove difficult given their current financial situation. Berahino will be a backup for Harry Kane, who has been in brilliant form over the course of the season, but needs some rest for him to be able to perform at the top level on a consistent basis.

Spurs have moved on to second spot in the league, eclipsing Manchester City following their 1-0 win over Watford. Meanwhile, the Citizens have suffered a setback in their title charge, losing 3-1 to Leicester City and can drop down to fourth should Arsenal win their game at hand against Bournemouth.