Newcastle Transfer News: West Brom Join Magpies In Race For 18-Goal Striker

West Bromwich Albion have joined the long list of Premier League clubs chasing Queens Park Rangers' Charlie Austin - a striker who is top of Newcastle United's summer shopping list. The Magpies look set to do battle with the likes of Chelsea, Southampton, Liverpool, Manchester United and Aston Villa for the forward€™s signature this summer following QPR€™s relegation to the Championship - but the west London club want upwards of £15 million for the forward. However, that has not deterred Baggies boss Tony Pulis, who the Birmingham Mail claim is looking at Austin as an alternative after missing out on former Magpies striker Demba Ba, who will move from Besiktas to Shanghai Shenhua.

No bids have yet been placed for Austin, 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 Cisse€™s 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.