Whilst the Loftus Road faithful certainly paid witness to a largely frustrating campaign throughout the course of 2014/15, one thing that definitely stood out for QPR in the Premier League was the goal-scoring form of 25-year-old striker, Charlie Austin.
The powerful English front-man scored an impressive total of 18 league goals last season, which when you consider how poor QPR actually were across the previous campaign, that is a total not to be dismissed easily.
Only Sergio Aguero, Harry Kane and Diego Costa proved superior than Austin in the Premier League goal-scoring charts last term, which has seen the backroom staff at Loftus Road place a considerably hefty £15 million price tag on their likely departing striker this summer.
So then, with the likes of West Ham and Newcastle reportedly holding a strong interest in the centre-forward in the run up to the 2015/16 campaign, just how good is Charlie Austin with all things considered, and is the current QPR favourite really worth a grand total of £15 million?
Some would simply say, yes. If any team looking to buy goals next season turned their attention to either Aguero, Kane or Costa, you would expect such names to command a great deal more than what QPR are currently asking for Charlie Austin.
The former Swindon Town and Burnley man showed himself to be a real handful in front of goal last term. When the English striker is truly on song, Austin can pick balls down from the air with maximum ease, work effectively with strikers of a similar calibre alongside him on the front line, and well and truly knows how to find the back of the net when called upon.
He may not be the most technically advance forward the Premier League has ever seen, and his overall lack of pace and ability to turn do often leave a lot to be desired – but if QPR were without Charlie Austin throughout 2014/15 – relegation would have ultimately come to claim the Hoops much earlier than their fans eventually paid witness to.
Having made such a promising case for the 25-year-old though, if any team actually saw fit to shell out £15 million on the striker this summer, it could well be argued that they’d be paying way over the odds for their man. As QPR have just been relegated and no longer hold much of an obvious lure on the player in question, the West Londoners simply aren’t operating in the best negotiating position as it stands.
The initial £15 million price tag was likely set just to test the waters before the new season actually gets underway. If Charlie Austin is still technically a QPR player just a few days before the closing of the summer transfer window, expect that hefty price tag to decrease rather dramatically.
The newly relegated Championship outfit won’t be able to hold onto their main man forever, and as QPR simply don’t represent a club with much positive direction at the moment, it would be very surprising to see Austin actually nail himself down to the club’s cause next season.
With West Ham and Newcastle among several other clubs looking to pick up the striker’s services this summer, it remains hard to imagine Charlie Austin sticking it out at Loftus Road for much longer.
He could face a rather unceremonious journey into oblivion if the Hoops fail to make promotion next year – so, as no player wants to risk their future hopes of playing in the English top flight from such a precarious position – the 25-year-old front-man will likely depart his current employers this summer, even if he isn’t quite worth the £15 million price tag currently hanging above his head.
Thatsagoal.com Team
Latest posts by Thatsagoal.com Team (see all)
- Boxing Day Competition to Win A Share of £772.40 from thatsagaol and bet365 - December 22, 2016
- Boxing Day Enhanced Odds Offers for Betting on the Premier League - December 22, 2016
- Everton vs Liverpool Enhanced Odds Bets for New and Existing Customers - December 19, 2016
- Premier League Football Accumulator for Tonight to win £180 from £10 - December 14, 2016
Follow us