Don't leave Albion too soon, Tony Pulis tells Saido Berahino

Tony Pulis says Saido Berahino should stay at Albion for at least another year or risk derailing his career by moving to a top-four club too quickly.

Pulis says the Baggies' leading scorer needs to stay at The Hawthorns and play regularly in the Premier League for the sake of his development.

And the Albion head coach hit back at Berahino's agent Aidy Ward after his blast at Liverpool this week over Raheem Sterling.

Ward's outspoken criticism of Reds legend Jamie Carragher's claims he did not care about Liverpool's reputation has raised fears among Baggies fans of a similar saga this summer involving Berahino, who has been linked with some of England's biggest clubs.

But Pulis said: "Saido knows where this club stands. If a top-four club comes in and makes a massive offer and it's good for the club and good for the player, then we will sit down and talk.

"We don't want him to go and he knows that. We're very keen that he stays and I think, having spoken to the kid, that he needs to be here to have at least another year when he is playing week-in, week-out.

"That will improve him. He could go to a top-four club and only play half a dozen games. We have seen before when young players have gone to top-four clubs and not broken in and almost dropped away.

"He's got to take that into consideration. It's not all about money, it's about his career.

"He's a young kid but we're not going to stop him if we get the right offer.

"It's the law of the land."

Ward has attracted fierce criticism from pundits and Liverpool fans for his handling of Sterling's Anfield contract negotiations.

The England man now looks set to leave Liverpool but Albion hope to agree an extension with Berahino to his current deal, which is due to expire in two years' time.

"I don't think the kid (Sterling) should be involved in any of that because it's not good for the lad and I really do feel sympathy for the player. We've had a little chat and I think Saido understands my feelings and what I think.

"I think even before Christmas there has always been dialogue between the club and Saido and extending his contract. He can get better without a question of a doubt and I hope it's with us. There are five or six clubs that can afford things. If anything ever came that way I would give him my honest opinion and if I thought it was the right club and everything was right I would tell him to go. If I didn't I would tell him 'no, I don't think that's the right move'."