Southampton: QPR offered good odds on re-signing Charlie Austin

After failing to make a starting spot his own under Mauricio Pellegrino, Charlie Austin has been given good odds on a move back to QPR.

In perhaps one of the more surprising Southampton transfer rumours of the past week or two, QPR have been given solid odds from bookmakers Sky Bet to re-sign the English forward.

However, when you think about it, it shouldn’t come as too much of a shock for this to gather momentum. Austin is yet to start a game in the league and has racked up just 69 minutes from six substitute appearances – it doesn’t take a mathematician to work out that he’s averaged just over ten minutes a game.

The 28-year-old’s odds to re-join his former club – who still ply their trade in the Championship – currently sit at 8/1, the same odds that Alexis Sanchez has to join PSG.

Austin still has odds of 1/3 to remain with the Saints the January transfer window, but it still makes you think about whether a departure for the striker would actually be that much of a bad thing.

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 15: Charlie Austin of Southampton is tackled by Mikel Merino of Newcastle United during the Premier League match between Southampton and Newcastle United at St Mary’s Stadium on October 15, 2017 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images) /

Roll the clock back a year and it would’ve been unthinkable – Austin scored nine goals in 19 games before suffering an injury in the Europa League, and he was comfortably the star performer of Claude Puel’s start to life in England.

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However following the arrival of Manolo Gabbiadini in January, Austin has been limited to a back-seat role, making a scattering of appearances after his return to fitness and struggling to land a spot this campaign.

With the Saints already out of one cup competition and having not qualified for Europe, there’s less of an argument that Austin could get rotated in for squad fitness, with Gabbiadini or Shane Long likely able to lead the line by themselves until the end of the campaign.

What can’t be ignored is that Austin is a proven goalscorer in the league and deserves a shot in the first team – it’s impossible to to judge his lack of goals from open play based on the limited minutes he’s tallied up.

The 28-year-old’s other former club, Burnley, have the next best odds of signing him at 12/1, whilst Crystal Palace sit at 16/1.

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