Express & Star

Former West Brom striker Saido Berahino: I regret reaction to Spurs transfer

Former West Brom striker Saido Berahino has admitted he regrets every moment of his reaction to Albion refusing to sell him to Spurs in 2015.

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Saido Berahino. (AMA)

The 26-year-old famously criticised former Albion chairman Jeremy Peace on Twitter after his move to Spurs broke down, claiming that he would refuse to play under him.

The striker then saw his career at The Hawthorns spiral downward, eventually departing for Stoke in 2017 in a £12m deal - but failed to recapture the form which had seen him tipped for an England call-up.

Off-field controversy has also dogged the Burundi international, who was convicted of drink driving in 2019.

He since signed for Belgian side Zulte Waregem, scoring seven goals in 17 appearances this season.

However, Berahino claims that he's never got over the failed move to Spurs, and regrets his actions following the botched move.

"I regret every moment of it, because I didn't handle it well," Berahino said, speaking to the BBC.

"[That is] one moment in my life I can say I couldn't get over it,"

"I didn't know what to do, I got caught up in the hype. I didn't handle the situation properly, I let it get hold of me. The people around me at the time didn't know what to do either. Bad news travels fast.

"The media is there to do their job, they build you up and when you are ready to come back down, you will come back down like a roller coaster. I wasn't focusing on the media, I was more concerned on my career and what I was going through emotionally."