Hoops striker wanted by Chelsea and Liverpool
Liverpool are planning a £10million bid for Queens Park Rangers striker Charlie Austin, and QPR look likely to accept if they are relegated.
Anfield boss Brendan Rodgers will be planning a clear-out this summer, and will be looking to bolster a somewhat weak forward line with new signings as soon as possible.
25-year-old Austin has netted an impressive 17 Premier League goals for QPR this season, and that’s quite a haul considering the hoops lowly league position.
Liverpool look likely to face competition from Chelsea, Southampton and Newcastle for the striker who was playing non-league football, and working as a bricklayer until Swindon Town snapped him up in 2009. After a great season this year, Austin’s next move looks like being a dream one.
Liverpool to rebuild attacking line
The Red’s faltering season has been difficult to watch at times. A club with so much promise after last year has spluttered and ‘flattered to deceive’ at times, and it seems obvious to all that attacking options need to be addressed.
The Mario Balotelli experiment has dramatically failed, Rickie Lambert and Fabio Borini have simply not delivered, albeit with only fleeting opportunities, and the reliance of Raheem Sterling spearheading the attack in the almost-permanent absence of the injured Daniel Sturridge has exposed his lack of goal scoring prowess. Yes, Sterling has had a great season……but, an out-and-out centre forward he is not.
Would Charlie Austin succeed at Anfield? The answer surely has to be a resounding yes. He has scored 17 Premier League goals this year and his club are about to be relegated. You only have to look at Liverpool’s Premier League goal statistics to see how good that really is in comparison. 31 Premier League goals have come from midfield (admittedly including 7 from Raheem Sterling), and only 10 from all other Liverpool forwards. (stats taken from liverpoolfc.com).
Daniel Sturridge has netted 4 times, Lambert and Lazar Markovic twice, Borini and Balotelli each with just one solitary Premier League goal apiece, making it very easy to see that changes need to be made….and fast. Will Austin make a difference? We think so…..but what do we know.
Written by Michael Horne
Follow me on Twitter @MichaelHorne777
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