Patient Newcastle refuse to enter bidding war on Saido Berahino

The Magpies have earmarked Berahino as their main strike target this month as they look to bolster their squad for a relegation fight in the second half of the season.

Newcastle are understood to be willing to smash the £16million club record they paid for Michael Owen in order to land Berahino, but face competition from Spurs for his signature.

The England Under-21 international almost moved to White Hart Lane in the summer, only for Baggies chairman Jeremy Peace to block the move and hit out at Spurs’ actions.

Berahino is understood to prefer a move to Tottenham this month, but Newcastle are still strong favourites to sign the 22-year-old this month.

However, managing director Lee Charnley is prepared to walk away from the deal if he feels Peace is asking too much for a player who can’t get into Tony Pulis’s side this season.

Peace and Spurs chief Daniel Levy are renowned as two of the toughest negotiators in the Premier League when it comes to transfers, and, with Newcastle hoping to also sign Andros Townsend from Tottenham, it could be that both deals go right to the wire before terms are thrashed out between the clubs.

Newcastle are monitoring other targets, though Aston Villa winger Scott Sinclair is not believed to be on their hitlist.

However, the Magpies still haven’t given up hope of bringing Chelsea’s Loic Remy back to Tyneside on loan, though any deal for the Frenchman would not be completed until late in the window.

Boss Steve McClaren would prefer to get a new striker in quickly, and Newcastle remain hopeful of getting Berahino to St James’s Park.

Pulis conceded that the striker’s future was out of his hands, and it would be a surprise if he was still at The Hawthorns come February 2.

Pulis said: ““The chairman will decide whether Saido goes or stays. The chairman will make decisions, financially.

“As much as it’s the player, it’s the financial deal and like I say, we’ll leave it with Jeremy to sort it.”

Townsend, meanwhile, was not part of Tottenham’s squad for the FA Cup win at Leicester last night.