Stoke pay £2.5m to get rid of Berahino!
STOKE have scrapped plans to sack Saido Berahino — and are instead footing a bill of close to £2.5million to release the striker.
The Potters appeared set to tear up the former England Under 21 star’s contract without severance money earlier this year amid the fall- out over his drinkdriving case.
But Stoke chiefs have abandoned the notion of sacking Berahino and agreed to pay him just under half of the £5million remaining on his playing deal.
The player was banned from driving for 30 months and fined £75,000 for being three times over the legal alcohol limited when he was stopped by police in London in February.
Magistrates convicted the former West Bromwich Albion forward, despite being told he was only driving to escape a gang of armed robbers.
The Stoke hierarchy believed they could sack him on grounds of gross misconduct — but it became clear that would not be possible, particularly when details of Berahino’s claims that he was fleeing the armed gang had emerged.
Berahino, 26, scored only five goals after joining from West Brom for £12million in January 2015 and can now focus on rebuilding his future away from Championship club Stoke. He has trained with Belgian club Zulte Waregem and played in a pre-season friendly for French side Nimes. Both clubs are interested in signing him.
A Stoke statement read: ‘Stoke City can confirm Saido Berahino has today left the club by mutual agreement.’