Man City on the home-grown hunt with West Brom striker

Pretty much the entire English football fraternity expects Manchester City to undergo a rejuvenation of their playing staff this summer. It’s also expected that the new era will have a distinctly British feeling.

Certainly the press believe that to be the case, with the former Premier League champions linked to almost every above-average home-grown talent imaginable in the last few months.

The latest name aligned with a British invasion at the Etihad is Saido Berahino, who has enjoyed an impressive season with West Brom.

The Burundi-born striker, who has scored 20 all-competition goals in 44 appearances during the campaign, has caught City’s eye after making drastic strides in his development following a fast-starting, but ultimately underwhelming return last year, when he scored just nine times.

According to the Daily Star, Man City will lodge a £20m bid for the England U21 international, which is surely going to be tough for both the club and the player to turn down.

For a man that has openly talked about wanting to move to a bigger team at some point in the future, a move to one of the perennial Premier League title challengers is sure to have Berahino salivating, even if an obvious path into the first team is hard to plot.

Sergio Aguero is the undoubted big-dog among Manuel Pellegrini’s striking kennel, with Wilfried Bony brought in during the January transfer window to play either alongside the Argentine, or as first reserve.

That has shunted both Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic down the pecking order and although the pair are being touted for moves away from the club, it is difficult to see both men leaving if only Berahino arrives in their place.

All of a sudden, playing time becomes a premium for the young striker recently named in Gareth Southgate’s Euro U21 Championship squad. Then, the decision to bolt for the bright lights of the Champions League, a hefty pay packet, and a lot of time spent sat on the bench becomes a worry for his career path.

Man City conclude a disappointing campaign at home to Southampton on Sunday, priced at 8/15 to win, while Berahino is 4/1 to finish his season with a goal away to Arsenal.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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