Queens Park Rangers striker Charlie Austin has been the topic of transfer rumours this summer, though one of his possible suitors, West Ham United, will not be making a move for the 18-goal man if their owner has anything to do with it.
Austin, who was responsible for 43 percent of the bottom-dweller's goals during last season's disastrous relegation campaign, has received interest from numerous Premier League sides including Newcastle, Tottenham, and West Ham, according to reports.
QPR gaffer Chris Ramsey has admitted that the club need to sell the star Englishman in order to fund a rebuilding effort at Loftus Road, but that they won't do so for anything less than the £15-million valuation.
"He scored 18 goals last season in a team that didn't do well so we think we have priced him reasonably in order for him to reach his ambitions," Ramsey told reporters prior to Wednesday's come-from-behind victory over Wolves.
"We need to stick to that because QPR as a club need the finances to rebuild and be able to compete in the Championship and set targets for this season and seasons beyond."
Despite the steep asking price for the imposing 26-year-old attacker with one Premier League campaign under his belt, it seems one of his suitors, West Ham, may be dissuaded for other reasons.
Appearing on a West Ham supporter's podcast, Hammers co-owner and chairman David Sullivan expressed his hesitancy in signing Austin.
"Firstly, we haven’t got £15 million to spend under the Fair Play rules. Secondly, he failed a medical at Hull a couple of years ago. They say he has no ligaments in his knee, who knows? To sign a player for £15 million is a big risk."
Sullivan continued, "He could go on for years, but knowing our luck his knee will go in his first game and that’s the end of it!
"If we had £100 million to spend we may say, 'we’ll spend £15 million and gamble one-sixth of our budget.' But it’s not one-sixth of our budget, it’d smash our budget to bits."
Austin, who rose from the anonymity of non-league football to starring in the top-flight, was working as a bricklayer as recently as five years ago while plying his trade with Poole Town FC.
Anybody who has both laid bricks and played professional football will tell you that neither are easy on the knees.
That said, Austin should find his name on a Premier League side's team sheet prior to the closing of the summer transfer window on Sept. 1.
