Saido Berahino: Tottenham and Newcastle pursuit of West Brom striker 'could drag until deadline day'

West Brom manager Tony Pulis believes the Saido Berahino transfer saga will rumble on until deadline day, although he has suggested he has a list of replacements in mind for the wantaway forward.

Tottenham Hotspur made four attempts to sign the England Under-21 international during the summer transfer window, all of which were rejected by Baggies chairman Jeremy Peace. Peace later criticised the North London side and his Spurs counterpart Daniel Levy for the timing of the offers, while Berahino himself vowed never to play for the club again after the final offer was turned down.

The 22-year-old striker has been frozen out of the first team at the Hawthorns this season, having not started a game since October, although he has come off the bench in four of the club's last five games.

With Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino eager to bring in another centre forward to ease the burden on Harry Kane, the Daily Telegraph claims the club will make another approach for Berahino in January.

But according to the Daily Mail, the England Under-21 international is now also keen on a move to Newcastle United.

Pulis is not anticipating the speculation to die down any time soon and has urged Berahino to stay calm.

"I told him at the beginning of the window, 'the circus starts again, just concentrate on your football' and if something happens, something happens. I think he understands that from the last window," he told a press conference, Sky Sports report.

"Unless he's sold now or tomorrow or the next day it is going to go through to the last day because you journalists will keep asking about it – it is a good story."

Despite his peripheral role this season, Berahino stands as West Brom's joint top scorer – along with James Morrison and Solomon Rondon – on four. With his side struggling for goals, Pulis says he has spoken to West Brom's chairman over bolstering his options.

When asked if he had drawn up a list of possible replacements for Berahino, he replied: "I have spoken to the chairman about the situation at the football club and we will see where we go in the next 10 days but there are people you would like to bring in and certain areas you would like to strengthen but that will be determined by what happens in the next 10 days with everything."