LONDON • England's Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) chief executive Gordon Taylor has advised West Bromwich Albion's Saido Berahino not to go on strike after missing out on a move to Tottenham Hotspur, as Spurs chairman Daniel Levy took a dig at his Baggies counterpart Jeremy Peace .
The PFA has offered to mediate between West Brom and Berahino after the 22-year-old suggested on Twitter that he would not play for the club again under Peace.
The latter and West Brom made five public statements over the past two weeks to detail how they had rejected a series of bids for the England U-21 striker - together with his own written transfer request.
"Players know if they come to the end of a contract, they have that right to move but if it's during a contract, there are other factors involved and it can't be taken for granted," said Taylor.
"Things can be said in the heat of the moment and contracts work both ways but players need to play and keep fit. Hopefully, he has an international future as well, so just for the sake of the lad and the club, we're hopeful it can be resolved."
Berahino, who was dropped for the Baggies' last three games, has been given time off until Monday to consider his position. He is expected to hold talks with manager Tony Pulis when he returns.
His failure to move to White Hart Lane means that Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has just one recognised striker in Harry Kane.
Levy has been criticised for his dealings during the transfer window, with West Brom also complaining about how Spurs had structured their offers.
It emerged that one of the opening two featured payments of £3.5 million (S$7.5 million) each year for five years and the final one - worth £22.5 million - to be spread over a similar period with an initial downpayment of £6.5 million.
Levy responded by suggesting that it was linked to the financing of Spurs' new stadium.
It will cost between £400 million and £450 million and is scheduled to be ready for the 2018-19 season.
"There is hardly a transfer concluded across Europe which doesn't include staged payments," he said.
He added: "Tottenham never make anything public, particularly in the best interests of the players involved. Making aspects such as transfer requests public is wholly disrespectful to a player."
REUTERS, THE GUARDIAN
