Charlie Austin: Southampton sign QPR striker

Southampton have signed QPR striker Charlie Austin for a fee reported to be about £4m.

The 26-year-old has joined the Saints on a four-and-a-half-year contract after passing a medical.

Austin scored 18 Premier League goals as QPR were relegated last season, and was rewarded with an England call-up.

The former Burnley player, whose contract at Loftus Road was due to expire in the summer, has scored 10 goals in 16 appearances this season.

He has not featured for Rangers, who are 17th in the Championship, since mid-December because of injury.

QPR director of football Les Ferdinand said the decision to sell Austin was "made in the best financial interests of the club" as he could leave on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Austin joins a Southampton side 12th in the Premier League.

Les Reed, Saints' executive director of football, said: "This signing is an indicator of our intent to finish the season strongly and continue the progress we've made in the last few years.

"Charlie shares that ambition. He has a fantastic goalscoring pedigree, but remains hungry to improve and develop as a footballer - something that convinced him that Southampton is the ideal next step in his career."

Austin, who has scored 130 goals since joining Swindon Town in 2009, will join up with his new team-mates next week.

"As soon as Southampton showed an interest that was the one club I wanted to go to," said Austin, who was linked with a move to Newcastle last summer.

"You see the progression from when I was playing against Southampton for Swindon. For me, it was important to come to a club that's on the up and that's what I've got here."

Southampton chairman Ralph Krueger told BSports Radio 5 live the signing of Austin demonstrated "the love we have for maintaining an English spine in the team".

He added: "He has been tracked by us for years now. He's a young player, 26 years old, and we think he still has a huge learning curve and he's still hungry to play for England. We will do everything possible to find Charlie's potential."

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