da bet sport： Due to the often desperate and panicked nature of the Premier League’s notorious winter transfer period, the annual January window usually culminates with its fair share of hugely inflated player valuations and over-priced transfer fees seemingly without fail in every passing season.
da betcris： …But as Southampton have nonetheless completed the permanent capture of QPR’s Charlie Austin for as little as £4 million this winter, such a usually reliable trend has certainly been somewhat reversed in this particular instance alone.
So then, with Ronald Koeman’s Saints clearly looking to improve upon their fortunes throughout the remainder of the 2015/16 campaign, have Southampton actually completed one of the best winter signings of January transfer window in the shape of Charlie Austin?
Well, as this is a player who simply thrived in front of goal whilst operating among the English top-flight last season, surely the St. Mary’s faithful have plenty to be excited about in regards to their club’s latest capture in the striking department – especially as Austin managed to impress whilst working alongside a distinctly poor Queens Park Rangers outfit who were certainly worthy of relegation in the end.
Via his powerful nature inside the final third, no-nonsense approach in one-on-one situations, and clear hunger for goals whenever he steps out onto that pitch – the in-demand English striker who could easily give Ronald Koeman’s current Southampton outfit a much needed boost across the rest of the season.
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When it comes to holding up the ball with effective style and swiftly turning defenders inside the opposition’s penalty box, Charlie Austin certainly failed to disappoint last season. He has also continued his fine goal-scoring form down at Loftus Road in 2015/16 – albeit in the Championship of course – and remains a player who arguably deserves to be plying his trade among the English top-flight with all things considered.
The 26-year-old striker possesses a fair degree of technical ability when patrolling the front-line up top for his respective side, which is something you wouldn’t necessarily expect from a traditional English centre-forward. On the back of his calm composure in front of goal and ability to find the back of the net on most given occasions, Austin could even be in with a shout among Roy Hodgson’s plans at Euro 2016 this summer – if he can continue to shine with the Saints in 2015/16 that is.
Put in no uncertain terms whatsoever, Ronald Koeman’s Southampton just haven’t looked as dominant among the Premier League as they so readily proved last season. As many of the Saints’ most significant names have been tempted away from St. Mary’s in recent transfer windows, it has become admittedly harder for Koeman to keep the good times flowing down on the South Coast, even if Southampton remain far from a club in crisis when all is said and done.
Although Shane Long has undoubtedly served to impress throughout the vast majority of the current campaign, Koeman’s side haven’t proven quite as forceful without Graziano Pelle consistently doing the business up top for the Saints. Charlie Austin could therefore represent an ideal replacement for the Italian international, who has been subject to a succession of both injury and transfer related distractions in 2015/16.
…And for an overall fee of £4 million this January, Ronald Koeman’s side have seemingly sourced themselves a very impressive deal indeed. We have only recently just witnessed Benik Afobe seal his recent move to AFC Bournemouth for as much as £10 million this January – and seeing as QPR supposedly wanted £15 million for their marquee man just a small matter of months ago – the St. Mary’s faithful seem to have a great deal to smile about in regards to this latest transfer at their club.
Yes, the 26-year-old could well develop into an over-hyped ‘one-season-wonder’ with the benefit of hindsight, and Austin is a player who has most definitely struggled with his own respective injury concerns throughout his footballing career so far – but as even the very best players initially represent at least some form of risk when they first join up with the English top-flight – Southampton have no reason to second guess their newest acquisition at this particular stage.
So, in a modern transfer market that is usually defined by big-money moves and equally big-name captures, it’s certainly nice to witness a Premier League club land themselves some genuine value for money for a change…
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