PFA chief expects Berahino to bury hatchet with West Brom and play

The head of the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) expects Saido Berahino to stage a U-turn over his decision to seemingly be prepared to go on strike at West Brom in response to the Premier League club refusing to grant his desire to leave.

Tottenham saw a number of bids rejected for the 22-year-old striker, who handed a transfer request in and then hit out at West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace on deadline day last Tuesday. 

Berahino posted on Twitter: "Sad how i cant say exactly how the club has treated me but i can officially say i will never play Jeremy Peace."

West Brom have since granted Berahino extra time off to clear his head and the players' union have since held talks with all parties concerned that PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor is convinced will lead to a positive outcome. 

Taylor told BBC 5 live's Sportsweek: "He will be playing. 

"We have made contact both with the club and with the player and we are very hopeful the matter will be resolved and will move on."

The Berahino saga is just one example of players becoming unsettled during the opening few weeks of the season as a result of on-going transfer speculation. 

David de Gea has not played for Manchester United this season and saw a proposed move to Real Madrid fall apart at the 11th hour on deadline day, while Chelsea's failed pursuit of defender John Stones threatened to turn ugly after Everton rejected tabled bids and a transfer request. 

Taylor added: "To have the window still open once the season starts in this day and age has created a lot of frenzied activity and left a lot of good players who should have been on the pitch not playing. 

"The likes of David de Gea was probably the finest goalkeeper in the Premier League last season. That turned out wrong. John Stones had to cope because Everton, as is their right, wanted to keep him."