Tony Pulis: Start performing Saido Berahino

Albion boss Tony Pulis has told Saido Berahino he must start performing - whether he goes or stays in January.

The Baggies head coach reckons the 22-year-old striker risks wasting his talent if he again allows himself to become distracted by transfer speculation.

Berahino has scored just three goals this season and been a shadow of his former self, after Albion turned down four bids from Tottenham in the summer.

The London club are expected to return with a further offer next month but Pulis has warned Berahino, who is set for a Christmas recall after spending the past six games on the bench, it is time to buck up his ideas.

"He has got to make sure that he gets his head in gear and performs well," said Pulis. "If something comes up , it comes up, if it doesn't he has to perform and recognise he has to play football.

"That is the gift he has been given and if he doesn't leave here he has to play football and do his best."

Pulis believes Berahino, Albion's top scorer the past two seasons, has "faded away" after infamously threatening to go on strike when the final two bids were rejected on deadline day.

Baggies chairman Jeremy Peace and Tottenham counterpart Daniel Levy became embroiled in a public war of words and though their relationship has since healed, Peace is still understood to be reluctant to sell the club's most valuable asset.

It is thought Pulis would consider selling if he can reinvest any transfer money but the head coach insists Berahino's exit is far from inevitable.

"It is up to the chairman and people," he said. "If you are buying a house, the buyer has to put the right offer in and the one who is selling has to accept that offer, there is always a price for people and always a price people will go to.

"But that doesn't mean that that deal is going to be done."

Pulis admitted he has not previously had to manage a situation like Berahino's in his managerial career.

He continued: "It is the first time someone has had that opportunity, not gone and then just faded away as much as Saido has.

"I am not blaming the kid one bit about that, it is just the way it has been.

"People can throw stuff up about him and we can have articles left right and centre trying to criticise the boy.

"But we are different, we have to accept that and try and get the best out of him. You can't condemn people.

"Some people listen first time and others take a little bit more time to listen. I think the most important thing with Saido and I always said it is a short career and a short life football.

"He has to enjoy it. He has to be playing as many games as he can and doing what he does well which is scoring goals."