Exclusive: Charlie Austin to leave Southampton this month with Wolves and Aston Villa interested in the striker 
The Southampton striker Charlie Austin will leave the club this month with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa among those interested in the player who wants regular game-time elsewhere. The 29-year-old is understood to have come to an agreement with the club that he can leave for the right price having struggled recently to force his way into Ralph Hasenhuttl’s new-look team. Austin has started just twice in the league since Hasenhuttl took over in early December and the Austrian has tended to play a formation with just a single striker. The club have rejected offers already for Austin that did not meet their valuation. However, the relationship with the player is such that they will not price him out of a move. Austin’s contract runs out in the summer of next year. The club have already sent the striker Manolo Gabbiadini to Sampdoria on loan this month with an obligation for the Italians to buy in the summer. Cedric Soares will go on loan to Inter Milan with a view to a permanent move. Wesley Hoedt has already joined Celta Vigo on loan. Wolves are eager to add to their attacking options this window and have looked at Austin with a view to a permanent deal. Stoke City strikers Benik Afobe and Saido Berahino have 13 goals between them this season and the Championship side are looking to invest in a proven goalscorer. Villa want to strengthen their forward line with Chelsea loan striker Tammy Abraham unlikely to stay beyond the summer. The Turkish club Galatasaray have also inquired about Austin and would like to sign him to play in their Europa League campaign, starting with the round of 32 tie with Benfica. He signed for Southampton from Queens Park Rangers in the January window three years ago with six months left on his previous QPR deal and immediately scored the winner against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
His return at QPR in the 2014-2015 season was a solid 18 goals in 35 appearance for the relegated team and at Saints he has 16 in 59 league games.
The emergence of Nathan Redmond as a striker under Hasenhuttl, has also meant that Austin’s chances are likely to be limited. Hasenhuttl wants to give game time to 18-year-old Michael Obafemi along with established forwards Danny Ings and Shane Long. Wolves have told Championship leaders Leeds United that winger Ivan Cavaleiro will not be leaving Molineux this month. Cavaleiro, the £7m winger, is a target for Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa before Thursday's transfer deadline in a loan deal until the end of the season.
But Wolves are determined to keep the Portugal international in and around Nuno Espirito Santo's squad and have knocked back an inquiry from Leeds.
Cavaleiro, 25, missed the start of the season with a back injury and has been mainly utilised as an impact substitute by Nuno.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/01/25/charlie-austin-leave-southampton-month-wolves-aston-villa-interested/
