Queens Park Rangers have just had their relegation to the Championship confirmed - and already Newcastle United are looking to poach star striker Charlie Austin from the west Londoners, even before their own Premier League future is guaranteed. Despite competition from the likes of Premier League champions Chelsea, as well as Manchester United and Liverpool, Newcastle have been made 6-4 favourites to sign £10 million-rated Austin. The 25-year-old former Swindon Town and Burnley forward is the fourth-top scorer in the Premier League this season having bagged an impressive 17 goals despite playing for a side who are bottom of the table. Newcastle need to add firepower to their strikeforce because they have managed just 37 goals all season - and top-scorer Papiss Cisse's future at the club is in doubt, meaning they will have just Ayoze Perez, Adam Armstrong and the goalless Emmanuel Riviere as forwards next year. They have turned their attention to the highly-coveted Austin, who will want to remain in the Premier League - and that cannot be with QPR next season after their 6-0 humbling against Manchester City confirmed their relegation. The Magpies have moved into the lead in the race to secure Austin's signature, but they will only be able to do so if they manage to ensure their own Premier League survival in the last two games of the season. Liverpool are second-favourites to sign Austin at 5-1, while Chelsea are 20-1 and Man United 25-1 outsiders. Austin has scored 106 goals in 197 league games for Swindon, Burnley and QPR since the beginning of 2010. For all the latest NUFC News, Views and Transfers make sure to follow WhatCultureNUFC on Twitter and Facebook.
NUFC editor for WhatCulture.com/NUFC. History graduate (University of Edinburgh) and NCTJ-trained journalist. I love sports, hopelessly following Newcastle United and Newcastle Falcons. My pastimes include watching and attending sports matches religiously, reading spy books and sampling ales.
