Redknapp: Austin staying put in January

Queens Park Rangers manager Harry Redknapp has insisted in-form striker Charlie Austin will not be sold during the January transfer window.

Austin, who joined QPR from Burnley in a deal reportedly worth around £4 million in August 2013, is currently the third top scorer in the English Premier League, i.e. only Diego Costa (12) and Sergio Agüero (14) have score more goals than Austin (11) in England’s top flight this season.

The 25-year-old striker has 18 months left on his current deal at Loftus Road, but Rangers are preparing to double the player’s wages, according to reports.

“Well, he’s got 18 months left, Charlie,” said Redknapp ahead of Rangers’ Boxing Day clash at Arsenal. “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.

“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.

“It won’t be hard for him to keep his feet on the ground because he’s a very level-headed lad, he’s a great lad, and he’ll keep doing what he’s doing at the moment, working hard, and if he can keep scoring, fantastic. I’m sure he’s loving every minute of what he’s doing at the moment.

“Once he gets into the last year of his contract then it’s a different proposition, but I think we’ve all got to wait and see.

“I think we’ve all got to just concentrate on this season, making sure we stay in the Premier League, Charlie keeps scoring goals, everyone else doing their jobs. If we do that then I’m sure we can tie him down longer and secure his future at QPR.”

Despite Austin’s stellar form in front goal in recent weeks, Redknapp remains keen on bringing Toronto FC forward Jermain Defoe to West London on a loan deal.

When asked about a possible move for Defore, Redknapp added: “You never know. It’s a difficult one because of the whole package. Really we’ve looking for loans. 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.

“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.”