West Bromwich Albion manager Tony Pulis is sounding a resigned note to whether star striker Saido Berahino will be sold or not.
Pulis maintains the club line that West Brom “want to keep” the England Under 21 forward, but he also cryptically admits his helplessness in the face of football’s “market forces”.
West Brom rejected a bid for the striker from Tottenham Hotspur this week but he is expected to face Chelsea on Sunday. Spurs, for their part, are expected to ramp up their pursuit of Berahino, who scored 14 goals while appearing in all 38 league matches last season.
Pulis said West Brom were unlikely to reject a monster bid for Berahino, 22.
“I want to keep him and the club want to keep him but it’s market forces,” he said.
“I’m sure Tottenham wanted to keep Bale and Manchester United wanted to keep Ronaldo so I’m not stupid enough to say ‘I’m not doing this’ or ‘I’m not doing that’.
“Never say never, especially in football. I understand what goes on.”
In the meantime Pulis said he has stressed to Berahino to focus on his job at The Hawthorns and forget any transfer talk.
The manager has been open in his praise of a striker who last season earned a call-up to Roy Hodgson’s senior side.
And, ahead of Sunday's visit of the Premier League champions, Pulis wants him to concentrate on Chelsea.
“I just had a chat with him on the pitch when we were training on Monday or Tuesday and told him what I thought,” he said.
“I told him not to get wrapped up in all the hype, concentrate on his football and let the other people deal with the stuff that’s going on because he can’t affect it.
“He’s a young lad and he might need some protection, we will see.
“He has handled it very well at the moment.
“The only advice I’ve given him is to concentrate on his football and try to improve himself as a footballer.
“God has given him a great gift and he can’t waste it.
“Lots of people have done that in the past and I just hope he’s not one of them.”
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