Report: Berahino's West Brom exile due to failed drug test

Ahead of Saido Berahino's return to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, it's emerged that the exile at his former club was apparently due to him testing positive for a recreational drug in September.

Berahino made his debut for new club Stoke City as a substitute in Wednesday's 1-1 home draw with Everton - his first competitive appearance since Sept. 10, 2016. His peripheral status for almost five months at the Baggies was partly down to suspension for a failed drugs test, The Daily Mail's Matt Lawton and Sami Mokbel report, rather than strictly the weight issues and behavioural problems that were previously touted.

The Football Association does consider testing positive for recreational drugs as worthy of suspension, though it doesn't reveal the name of offenders. The country's football governing body instead offers "rehabilitation, to allow them to return clean without being stigmatised for an offence that arose outside of the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) requirements."

The FA, Stoke, and Berahino's agent have all declined to comment. It's understood, however, that Stoke was aware of the failed test, and that Berahino claimed there were "extenuating circumstances" for it, and went ahead with the £12-million transfer regardless.

Sportsmail states his last West Brom commitment before suspension was when he turned out for the club's Under-23 side on Sept. 20, 2016. The club website, however, has a match report on Sept. 26 from West Brom Under-23's 2-1 win over Stoke, which featured a goal from Berahino.

He was then an unused substitute in a 1-1 draw at Sunderland on Oct. 1 in Premier League action, before going inactive until an Under-23 meeting on Dec. 12 with Wolverhampton Wanderers. Overall, Berahino's absence from all playing duties lasted 72 days.

Related: Berahino manages 90 minutes in West Brom's Under-23 match

The former England U-21 mainstay fell foul of the West Brom hierarchy 18 months before his January switch to Stoke. Amid failed offers from Tottenham Hotspur for his services, Berahino submitted a transfer request to try and force a move from the Hawthorns. Upon learning of then-chairman Jeremy Peace's refusal to grant his exit, Berahino vowed to never represent the club again.

With the 2015 summer window closed, the 23-year-old had to then backtrack on those sentiments before eventually turning out for the club again, but his relationships with the Baggies brass and manager Tony Pulis seemed beyond repair.

Stoke and Crystal Palace allegedly lodged bids of £20 million for Berahino last summer that were rejected, but now, after a year-and-a-half that may have been damaging to the young forward's development, he's playing for Stoke under Mark Hughes.

Saturday's meeting between Berahino's former and current employers would've attracted attention for the reception he receives from West Brom's home support after his wantaway antics, but will now undoubtedly come under increased scrutiny following these reports.