Southampton: Cryptic Charlie Austin tweet hints at summer transfer away

Southampton striker Charlie Austin could be one of the players to leave the club this summer and he has hinted at a move away on social media.

The 29-year-old posted a cryptic message on Twitter last Friday that quoted Banjamin Franklin and it read: “Out of adversity comes opportunity”.

Austin appeared as a substitute in Saints’ last Premier League game of the season on Sunday and also made a particular effort to applaud the home fans on the lap of appreciation after the match had finished.

A big summer shake up is expected at St Mary’s this summer as manager Ralph Hasenhuttl shapes his squad in preparation for next season.

After having to settle for a bit part role in 2018/19, Austin may well be one of the players on his way during the summer window.

The striker has a wealth of experience from a career that has seen him rise from non-league level to the Premier League and won’t be short of suitors during the off-season.

Injuries have stopped him at crucial times whilst he has been with Saints but he has been a good servant for the club since his bargain £4m move from QPR back in 2016.

Austin found the net just three times during the past campaign but has scored 20 times in three-and-a-half seasons on the South Coast.

His effect overall at St Mary’s may not have been what he had hoped for but 148 goals in English football will make him a good recruit for any Championship or Premier League side this summer.

Rumours of the strikers that Saints are looking to recruit have been plentiful. Che Adams of Birmingham City, Jean-Kevin Augustin of RB Leipzig and Aleksandar Mitrovic of Fulham have all been linked recently.

Whoever arrives will have to have the ability to play the high-pressing football that Hasenhuttl likes his players to utilise.

Danny Ings and Shane Long (Ings certainly after his expected permanent transfer) are likely to be the only senior strikers left at the club and incoming players will be needed to compete with them over the course of coming seasons.