View: West Brom must double efforts to shift £70k/wk player they were ‘willing to let leave’
Believe it or not, Charlie Austin is actually still a West Brom player. Surprising right, given his total absence from the Premier League squad this season.
The former Southampton man has failed to fire since joining the club almost 18 months ago and the time is nearly here where the club must move heaven and earth to get his wages off the books.
At his best, Austin can be a really valuable option and he is one of the few players in this squad with genuine experience of scoring goals in the Premier League. However, a 31-year-old with a poor record of getting injured is not an ideal option to have as your third choice striker.
According to The Athletic, there was interest in Austin over the summer, with Derby County and Cardiff City said to be considering him as an option. However, his wages (reported to be £70k-a-week) ended up proving an obstacle.
The same report stated that the relationship between Bilic and Austin remains harmonious, but that mutual understanding must be getting tested as the days go by. The striker is yet to play a single minute in the Premier League so far and has just two EFL Cup appearances and 77 minutes to his name since last season.
However, given his deserved reputation for goalscoring, especially at the Championship level, there is bound to be some interest in his signature once again in January.
To make any sort of deal work out, Austin will have to be willing to force his way out of the club and perhaps even accept less attractive financial terms. He may have been open to staying at the club and looking to earn a place in the starting lineup at the start of the season, but after a few months sitting in the stands, playing may have become a priority again.
Whatever happens, the club should be seriously looking for ways to get him out of the club. Bilic clearly does not see him as an option and therefore, the club should look to shift his wages and reinvest elsewhere.
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