Charlie Austin has delivered a tonic to Queens Park Rangers, revealing he will not be leaving the club until next summer at the earliest.
After an impressive Premier League campaign in which he scored 18 goals, it was widely expected that the striker would leave QPR following their relegation last season. But despite being linked with a number of clubs during the summer weeks, the 26-year-old remained at Loftus Road when the transfer window slammed shut in September.
Austin has certainly not let the absence of top-flight football affect his game, and has seven goals from nine games to his name before picking up an injury last month. As he looks to regain full fitness he has again been linked with a move away from the capital club in January, but he insists he will see the season out with his current club.
“I can’t see myself leaving in January, because I’m concentrating on playing for QPR,” he told Sky Sports. “I think I owe it them and my loyalty is with them, to help them and get promoted. Football is a small career and you have to make the right decisions. If it’s right for me and my family and the people I bounce ideas off I will take on anything.”
Most recently, Austin has been linked with a move to Sunderland. Sam Allardyce has recently been installed as the new manager of the Stadium of Light club, and although a 3-0 win against rivals Newcastle United has injected some much-needed optimism, the Black Cats look set for another season of struggle on Wearside.
