Stoke fuming with Berahino after striker missed training before 3am drink-drive arrest

STOKE boss Nathan Jones is furious with Saido Berahino over his arrest on suspicion for drink-driving at the weekend after the striker missed Saturday's league game due to illness, according to reports.

SunSpopt exclusively revealed Berahino was stopped by cops near the 24-hour restaurant and bar VQ in central London at around 3am on Monday morning after claiming he was trying to escape thugs who stole his watch.

The 25-year-old was charged yesterday by the Met Police with drink-driving and is due to appear at Highbury Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, March 6.

His arrest is said to have infuriated Potters boss Jones as it comes after he missed training and Saturday's game after saying he was ill.

The claims Berahino failed to show up for training last Thursday after being an unused sub at Wigan the night before, and left it until later that afternoon to call in sick.

Jones left the striker out of last weekend's draw at Ipswich only to find out his player was out in London until the early hours of Monday morning, leading to his run-in with the cops.

Berahino was then set to feature for Stoke's Under-23s against Manchester United on Monday night to keep up his fitness after his absence from training.

However, Jones was left fuming and pulled him from the game after learning of the former West Brom forward’s arrest just hours earlier.

Berahino is set to be fined the maximum two weeks’ wages of around £80,000 and will be banished from the first-team to the Under-23s for the rest of the campaign.

The club will look to dump the striker in the summer who has failed to live up to expectations on and off the pitch.

The former England Under-21 forward moved to the Potteries from West Brom in 2017 for £12million.

Berahino has scored a paltry five goals in two years at the bet365 Stadium and was reprimanded by former boss Paul Lambert for persistently turning up late to work and his poor training.