A fortnight remains of the English summer transfer window and as many players have packed their bags and relocated to accommodate their new club, surprisingly one player who’s attire is still firmly in his wardrobe is Charlie Austin.
After seeing Queens Park Rangers relegated from the Premier League last season, not many people expected Austin still to be playing his football at QPR. A man who has catapulted himself through the divisions to becoming a member of the England squad after an impressive 18-goal haul in his first season in the Premier League, it is hard to see why he has not yet been snapped up by any team. After all, if he can boast such a goal-scoring record at a team that finished bottom of the table, surely that makes it even more impressive?
What seems to have currently deterred Premier League clubs away from seriously pursuing their interest is the £15 million price tag that has been slapped on his head by Rangers chairman Tony Fernandez. However, considering his wage demands of £45,000 a week are comparatively low in an era when guaranteed goalscorers in the Premier League can easily command a six-figure weekly pay packet and the fact at the age of 26, Austin still has a lot of football ahead of him, it seems to be a profitable investment.
And with that in mind, it is very doubtful that Austin will still be playing in the Championship after September 1st. But where are we likely to see him once the transfer window closes?
Leicester City are the only team that have currently made a formal bid for the player, although it fell £3 million short of QPR’s valuation and have now looked elsewhere since so are likely to be out of the equation.
The transfer fee also frightened off Newcastle United head coach, Steve McClaren. However, Newcastle have constantly been linked with the striker throughout the summer and McClaren may well express a more formal interest as the transfer window comes to a close as he has hinted he is still on the lookout for more new faces. As their current number one striker, Papiss Cisse, frequently alternates between striking hot and cold and new signing, Aleksander Mitrovic, is new to the Premier League. If Newcastle, could get their hands on Austin, they would be able to rely on a consistent goalscorer, which could be vital for them this season as it has already been proved once again that their defence is not so reliable.
Tottenham Hotspur have also been heavily linked with the striker. Tottenham’s need for additional resources was highlighted during the 2-2 draw with Stoke City, which saw Harry Kane’s removal with an ankle problem coinciding with the second half comeback staged by Mark Hughes’ side. Austin would be a great signing for Spurs as it will relieve the goalscoring burden from Kane as it is a heavy weight to carry on the 22-year-old’s shoulders and would give Tottenham strength in depth in the final third along with former Lyon player, Clinton Nije.
It is uncertain where Charlie Austin will be, come the end of the transfer window. There is still a possibility he could stay at Loftus Road. But what is for certain is that one team will have a talismanic striker in their ranks.
