Redknapp confident QPR can stay up and keep Austin

LONDON (Reuters) - Queens Park Rangers' leading scorer Charlie Austin will not be sold in the January transfer window but his future depends on the club staying in the Premier League, manager Harry Redknapp said on Wednesday.

Redknapp confident QPR can stay up and keep Austin

(Reuters)





The 25-year-old Austin, whose 11 goals so far this season make him the league's top English scorer, has 18 months to run on his contract.

"He’s not going anywhere in January. He’s here and it’s up to Charlie and everyone else. I’m sure we want to keep him long term," Redknapp told reporters ahead of Friday's Arsenal trip.

"But it’s like everything, we’ve got to stay in the division this year, which I’m confident we will do, and Charlie’s proved that he’s a Premier League player.

"He wants to play in the Premier League for the rest of his career if he can. He’s got to keep scoring goals, that’s all he’s got to do."

Rangers have yet to earn a point away this term but 17 home points have lifted them out of the drop zone into 16th place.

They will be without South Korean left-back Yun Suk-Young, a stalwart this season who has been ruled out until the New Year with an ankle injury, for the match at sixth-placed Arsenal.

Redknapp has said QPR are more likely to seek loan deals in the window than to buy players, despite former England striker Jermain Defoe reportedly being eager to link up again with the ex-West Ham United, Portsmouth and Tottenham Hotspur manager.

"We’re not looking to spend money in the window, we’re looking to get a couple of loans in if we can, good loans, and that’s where we’re at," said Redknapp.

"We bought some players in the summer, so now we’ve got a good squad we’re looking to bring a couple of loans in - we’re not looking to be spending big money in the transfer window."





(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ken Ferris)


Share

2 min read

Published

Source: Reuters


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world