Carlton Palmer expects Charlie Austin to leave West Brom in the summer
Carlton Palmer believes that Charlie Austin will not be able to ‘cut it’ in the Premier League and won’t be retained by West Brom either.
The former Baggies midfielder expects the English forward to leave in the summer when his deal at the Hawthorns runs out.
Austin, who scored 10 goals last season to guide West Brom to the Premier League, did not make a single start in the top flight this term, before being loaned out to Queens Park Rangers in January.
This season in the Championship, the 31-year-old has bagged eight goals in 21 appearances, impressing manager Mark Warburton who’s hailed one of his performances as ‘tremendous’. [Sports Mole]
Having watched Austin this season, Palmer has made up his mind on the player and doesn’t expect him to return to the West Brom team or play in the Premier League.
He told This Is Futbol, “It depends on the situation, the financial situation. Charlie is getting on a bit in age. There’s a reason why he’s been sent out on loan, I know they don’t think he can quite cut it in the Premier League.
“I think they’ll let his contract go, and I don’t believe he will be going back to West Brom.”
Need better players
While we’re grateful for what Austin did last season, now things are different and we’re going to have to strengthen this squad if we are to secure promotion on the first attempt.
Austin’s 31, has slowed down considerably and isn’t the goal threat he once was. It doesn’t make sense to extend his contract and keep him on the wages he’s on as he’s fallen in the pecking order at the club.
Even if we are to lose some of our key players, that money should be invested in building a team that can not only get us Premier League football but also help us sustain.
Austin is not a long-term solution and neither is he an improvement on the likes of Karlan Grant, Callum Robinson and Mbaye Diagne.
Hopefully, we have Big Sam’s contract sorted out immediately so he can start planning for life in the Championship.
In other West Brom news, Report: PL side eye summer swoop for ‘Excellent’ West Brom player tipped for glory
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