Spurs endured a disastrous transfer deadline day as they failed with their final attempts to sign West Bromwich Albion striker Saido Berahino, leaving them badly short of options up front.

While Tottenham head coach Mauricio Pochettino has been tight-lipped about the club’s transfer plans throughout the window, he repeatedly admitted the need to sign a forward to provide competition and cover for Harry Kane, who has been the only striker in the squad for the opening four games.

West Brom had already rejected two bids from the Lilywhites while also turning down a transfer request from Berahino, with Albion chairman Jeremy Peace publicly stressing the player was not for sale.

Yet Spurs apparently gambled on him changing his mind, making two more bids shortly before Tuesday’s 6pm cut-off – only to see both rebuffed.

Peace said: “We have a key player who has been very unsettled by antics which were designed to get him out of our club cheaply. Those tactics have continued despite my making our position clear in my first conversation with [Spurs chairman] Daniel Levy on this subject in mid-August. I said selling Saido so late in the window was not on our agenda.

“Tottenham’s offers failed substantially to reflect Saido’s true value while the timing made no allowance for our own recruitment of a suitable replacement for a proven Premier League goalscorer.

“Saido has been unsettled to the point where our head coach has not felt able to select him for our last three games. We are now left with the task of repairing the damage created by this unfortunate episode.”

Berahino aimed an angry tweet at his employers, saying: “Sad how I can’t say exactly how the club has treated me but I can officially say I will never play Jeremy Peace.”

Emmanuel Adebayor is still at Tottenham, who were unable to get him and his £100,000-a-week wages off their books – but it is unlikely he will return to Spurs’ front line.

Pochettino has stated the Togo forward is not part of his plans, and the 31-year-old has not been given a squad number.

Aaron Lennon did depart, joining Everton for £4.5million following his loan spell at Goodison Park last season, while USA right-back DeAndre has gone to Sunderland on loan.

Follow me on Twitter @BenPearceSpurs