AFC Bournemouth have joined the long list of Premier League sutiors chasing Queens Park Rangers Charlie Austin - a striker who is top of Newcastle Uniteds summer shopping list. The Magpies look set to do battle with the likes of Chelsea, West Bromwich Albion, Southampton, Liverpool, Manchester United and Aston Villa for the forwards signature this summer following QPRs relegation to the Championship - but the west London club want upwards of £15 million for the forward. However, that has not deterred Cherries boss Eddie Howe, with the Birmingham Mail claiming Bournemouth are willing to smash their club-record transfer fee for Austin. No bids have yet been placed for the QPR forward, despite previous reports of a £14 million offer from Newcastle, and the striker is itching for a move. Austin was the fourth-top scorer in the Premier League in 2014-15 having bagged an impressive 18 goals despite playing for a side who finished bottom of the table and he has just a year left on his Loftus Road deal. Newcastle need to add firepower to their strikeforce because they managed just 40 Premier League goals throughout the entirety of the previous campaign - and top-scorer Papiss Cisses future at the club is in doubt, meaning they will have just Ayoze Perez, Adam Armstrong and the goal-shy 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 following their relegation. Austin has scored 107 goals in 199 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 whatculture.com/NUFC 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.
