Stoke City manager Mark Hughes has confirmed striker Saido Berahino served an FA disciplinary suspension before he joined the club in the January transfer window.
Reports in the British press on Friday morning claimed that the 23-year-old had already served the suspension before he signed but that it was in relation to actions off the pitch.
Hughes, speaking at a news conference covered by the club's official website, said: "We are aware of it clearly -- there was an FA disciplinary matter and Saido had an eight-week suspension, I believe.
"We were aware of that before we signed him.
"In terms of more detail you would probably need to refer back to his former club. We aren't in a position to give any more details as we don't have them. He had issues at his previous club for 18 months, which this is obviously a part of.
"As with all players we did our research on him before we signed him, but that didn't change our thinking at all.
"We are pleased with what he is producing and he is looking forward to the game tomorrow."
Berahino's new club travel to The Hawthorns to take on his former employers on Saturday, and Hughes has backed his £12 million January signing to fully realise the promise he showed at West Brom under his management at Stoke.
"We have brought in a player with great ability, of a good age who hasn't reached his peak yet," Hughes said. "He still has a lot of development to come, and we feel that what we can offer him here, it will benefit him.
"He will prosper here, I am sure of that and that is why we chased him for so long. The next three or four years are going to be really important for him, and for us. He wants to improve."