HUGHES SO SAIDO SURE
MARK HUGHES is confident of winning the race for £20m striker Saido Berahino. Stoke boss Hughes has seen a string of bids rejected for the West Brom hotshot (left). The latest offer is £17m up front with £3m in add-ons. Baggies chairman Jeremy Peace, who had a bitter row with Berahino last summer after denying him a move to Tottenham, hopes interest from Crystal Palace will keep driving up the fee. But Hughes is still optimistic on netting the 22-year-old as Stoke prepare to top the £18.3m record transfer fee they paid for midfielder Giannelli Imbula in January. Hughes said: “We’ve put some bids in and as it stands those haven’t been
accepted yet. But we’re still hopeful on them.”
West Brom are in no rush to sell Berahino but the England Under-21 international is determined to get away from The Hawthorns after rejecting a new four-year deal.
It looks as though he may finally manage it this summer with Hughes stepping up his pursuit of his top transfer target.
Berahino saw his form slump last season as he scored just four Premier League goals against a backdrop of transfer speculation following a threat to go on strike over his failed Tottenham move.
Edge
But his 20 goals the season before have convinced Hughes that Berahino can be the man to give Stoke a greater cutting edge.
West Brom already have money to spend and boss Tony Pulis wants Leicester’s Jeffrey Schlupp and Aston Villa defender Ciaran Clark.
An initial £9m bid for Schlupp, 23, has been rejected by the Foxes.
But Pulis is expected to increase his offer for the Ghana international he wants as his left-back.
Pulis also faces a battle to prise Clark away with Villa boss Roberto Di Matteo desperate to keep the 26-year-old Republic of Ireland star. BAGGIES goalkeeper Boaz Myhill has agreed a one-year contract extension.