Saido Berahino Should Be Tottenham's Top Target in the January Transfer Window
It is not easy to pinpoint how Tottenham can shake themselves out of their current malaise, but signing Saido Berahino in January may just be the perfect tonic for their current woes.
21-year-old Berahino has come of age this season both for his club West Brom and at international level for the England Under-21 side, and his goalscoring ability would be welcomed at White Hart Lane. Spending their way out of trouble is not an advisable option per se, but since the departure of Jermain Defoe, Spurs have lacked a sharp, clinical poacher who can turn games and put fear into opposition defences.
The in-form forward did not make an appearance in Englandโs 3-1 victory over Slovenia, but his first call-up to the full squad highlights his rising stock. Despite the fact that he did not get any game time, his Twitter comment showed his delight at being part of the senior setup:
Emmanuel Adebayorโs lethargic, almost indifferent performances have pushed him closer to the north London clubโs exit door. Roberto Soldado is another striker whose future looks bleakโand whether he stays or not, he does not look likely to recapture the red-hot form which he displayed at his previous club Valencia. The Daily Mailโs Simon Jones reports that Spurs are willing to listen to offers for both forwards.
Fan favourite Harry Kane is the man vying for supremacy with Adebayor and Soldado. Through determination and hard work, he can be regarded as the best of the three as things stand.
Berahino and Kane have formed a prolific partnership for Englandโs Young Lions, with both playersโ goals a key factor in the successful qualification for the Under-21 European Championships. It seems a natural progression for this relationship to be nurtured further at club level.
Great Tottenham strikers of the past have always broken records in their careersโincluding Jimmy Greaves who scored on every debut for each team he represented, and Jermain Defoe who scored in 10 consecutive league games for Bournemouth in 2001.
Berahino is closing in on a record of his own with his 10 goals in 13 appearances for the Under-21s, placing him as their third-highest goalscorer ever. Expect him to reach the record of 13 goalsโheld jointly by Alan Shearer and Francis Jeffersโat the Championship finals next June.
Berahinoโs journey to this point defines him as a man and provides great insight into his mentality as a player. He was born in Burundi at the beginning of the country's civil war, and his mother sought asylum in the UK when fatherless Saido was 10. He spoke no English and had only his football talent to utilise as a tool to make friends. His sheer will to succeed is a priceless trait, and thereโs no doubt he would be idolised in north London.
A Sunday Mercury article in 2009 (h/t Sport.co.uk) predicted the playerโs rise and featured comments from his former coach at the West Brom Academy, Mark Harrison:
"He [Berahino]ย started with us in the under 12s and he has developed into a really gifted footballer and finisher.
He has scored all different types of goals.
Now he is on a full-time scholarship with us and has now made his debut for England.
Obviously to go from where he was to be an international player is amazing.
He has the potential to go as far as he wants and play in theย Premiership if he continues to develop, but obviously he needs to remain focussed.
"
According to Press Associationย (h/tย The Guardian), Spursโ summer transfer dealings saw them record a net profit of ยฃ6 million, so funding Berahinoโs acquisition would be no issueโbut should a different position be prioritised?
Hugo Lloris in goal is world class, and his back-up Michel Vorm is a more than capable stand-in, so there is no need to sign another goalkeeper.
There is no doubt that the defence has been shaky, but there is sufficient class there to fix this problem if the current players are correctly nurtured. The key to solidity at the back is sticking consistently with the same back four, so adding anyone more than the incoming DeAndre Yedlin would cause an unnecessary overload.
The midfield is also well stocked, with a plethora of central midfielders: Etienne Capoue, Ryan Mason, Nabil Bentaleb, Benjamin Stambouli, Moussa Dembele, Paulinho. This list could also include Lewis Holtby and Tom Carroll, who are both out on loan.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino also has a number of options for the attacking midfield roles. Though only Nacer Chadli is firing, it is a question of form and not talent when looking at why Erik Lamela and Christian Eriksen have not performed consistently well.
This leaves the striking positions, and with either or both of Adebayor and Soldado likely to leave, it is essential to find a quality replacement who will settle quickly and is a proven goal scorer in the Premier League.
There is no single factor that can turn things around for Tottenham, but it is goals that win gamesโand Saido Berahino has scored them this season in fine quantity. There is a Jermain Defoe-shaped hole at White Hart Lane, and this Young Lion is undoubtedly the man to fill it.
