Saido Berahino makes honest Sheffield Wednesday admission | OneFootball

Saido Berahino has revealed that he was surprised he was released by Sheffield Wednesday, as he reflected on a positive time in his career at Hillsborough.

Saido Berahino’s career so far

It’s fair to say that the striker has had a very eventful career, having started out with West Brom, when the Baggies were a Premier League side.

It became apparent very quickly that Berahino had plenty of talent, as he represented England at various youth levels up to U21, and he managed to become a key player at The Hawthorns.

The 2014/15 campaign was a real breakout one for Berahino, as he scored 14 goals in 32 top-flight games, which put him on the radar of several clubs.

Spurs pushed hardest to sign the player, but, despite Berahino’s insistence on making the move, Albion would not sell, and it proved to be a decisive moment in his career.

The attacker would struggle to replicate that form moving forward, and whilst he did secure a transfer to Stoke in January 2017, he managed just five goals in 56 appearances for the Potters, which also saw plenty of off-field issues come up.

In the end, his contract at Stoke was mutually terminated, with Berahino going on to spend a few years in Belgium with Zulte Waregem and Charleroi, before he returned to the UK with the Owls.

Saido Berahino reacts to Sheffield Wednesday spell

With then Wednesday boss Darren Moore knowing Berahino from his time at West Brom, this was seen as a good move for the player.

Ultimately, he would score eight league goals for the Yorkshide side in the 21/22 campaign, as they reached the play-offs, but they would fall short over two legs to Sunderland.

Shortly after that semi-final loss, it was confirmed that Berahino would be leaving, as he had only signed a one-year deal with the Owls.

Yet, it appears that decision was not one the ex-Albion man was expecting, as he admitted in a Q&A on social media that he ‘absolutely’ was surprised that he was let go by Wednesday.

However, it seems he doesn’t have any hard feelings towards the club, as Berahino also said that he ‘loved’ his time with Wednesday, even if he had hoped to spend longer at Hillsborough.

Sheffield Wednesday will feel Saido Berahino decision was vindicated

Berahino wasn’t outstanding by any means for Wednesday, but he certainly did a job, and with a full pre-season under his belt, there would’ve been hope that he could become a prolific player in League One.

It was clear he had great respect for Moore, and he brought something to the team when he did play, even if he struggled for consistency.

But, Wednesday ended up signing Michael Smith in the summer, and they went on to win promotion the year after Berahino left, so whilst it may have seemed a ruthless decision, the reality is that it was one that paid off.

As for Berahino, he joined Cypriot side AEL Limassol after leaving Wednesday, but he has managed just four goals in 44 outings for them, and he is set to leave the club this summer when his contract runs down.