West Brom striker Saido Berahino has rejected the club's claim he is overweight,according to theExpress and Star.
Sources close to the former England U21 striker have claimed the striker was banished to train with the academy players after he failed to consider West Brom's latest contract offer. Albion have denied the accusation, however, claiming Berahino's training regime had nothing to do with any contract talks.
Berahino has only recently been welcomed back to first-team training, reportedly returning to the squad last week. Despite continuing with his normal shooting and free-kick practice after training, Express and Star sources claim the 23-year-old was not forced to do any additional fitness training.
Berahino, who has previously had loan spells at Northampton Town, Brentford and Peterborough United, is said to strongly dispute the claims that he returned to training overweight but has admitted he is lacking in match fitness. He has been left out of all three of West Brom's squads since the lastinternational break.
West Brom assistant head coach Dave Kempclaimed Berahino is close to a first-team return but is not ready justyet.
Saido is closer, he is working hard. When he gets in the team then we can start discussing Saido again. I don't know when that will be. He's not ready yet."
The striker, who has been named in previous England senior team squads but is yet to make his debut, has had a troubled stay at West Brom since falling out with the club's then chairman Jeremy Peace when a proposed move to Tottenham back in 2015failed to materialise.
Baggies boss Tony Pulis signed Salomon Rondon as a replacement afterthe fallout, and Berahino's game time has suffered as a result. Having scored 14 Premier League goals in 38 appearances during the 2014-15 season, he could only manage four strikes in the league last season and has made just four league appearances this year.