Charlie Austin to Southampton: Latest Transfer Details, Reaction and More

Southampton have signed Queens Park Rangers striker Charlie Austin for a fee of £4 million, their first acquisition of the January transfer window.

QPR announced the deal and revealed Austin's contract at St. Mary's will run until 2020. Southampton confirmed the player has signed a four-and-a-half-year deal, via their official Twitter account:

Speaking to the Saints' official website after completing his move on Saturday, Austin confirmed his desire to join a Premier League team that was "on the up":

"

I'm delighted to have got it over the line so soon into January. I can't wait to get started now. As soon as Southampton showed an interest that was the one club I wanted to go to.

You see the progression from when I was playing against Southampton for Swindon. For me, it was important to come to a club that's on the up and that's what I've got here.

"

The 26-year-old, who had a two-and-a-half-year spell at Loftus Road, scored an impressive 18 goals in 35 Premier League starts during the 2014-15 campaign, but Austin has since been in and out of the Hoops' XI this season while edging toward the final months of his contract.

Austin confessed a move to St. Mary's was a "no-brainer," before going on to outline their rise up the English ranks and into the Europa League as an attractive prospect, per Southampton's official website:

"

I didn’t realise Southampton was an option until a couple of weeks ago, and when a club like Southampton comes in for you, it’s a real head turner. To be honest, I didn’t think I was going to move until the summer, but as soon as Southampton showed an interest in me, it was the one club I wanted to go to.

If we could get the deal as soon as possible I was ready to go, and lucky enough it’s now and I’m delighted.

"

Despite injury setbacks, the striker has continued scoring at a high rate and netted 10 goals in 16 Championship appearances this season. According to Football Manager director Miles Jacobson, QPR would have been better off selling their forward last summer:

Austin arrives at Southampton after Saints boss Ronald Koeman admitted Graziano Pelle's place in the squad is uncertain, having entered the final 18 months of his contract, per the Southern Daily Echo's Adam Leitch:

"

OK, the situation of Graziano is a little bit different than other players because Graziano will be 31 and 32 at the end of next year and that’s difficult. It’s too early to conclude about his future.

I know it’s left one season on the contract but it’s too early now to talk about his future. Maybe in the summer, after the summer.

"

Leitch's report added that Serie A giants Juventus have been linked with Pelle. Austin could help provide a similar presence in the box as the Italian, adding strength and an imposing frame to the Southampton front line.

Ben McAleer of WhoScored.com noted that as well as being a replacement for Pelle in the long run, Austin will offer the Italian some valuable competition until his future at the club is resolved:

This move will allow Austin to once again battle for a spot in England's Euro 2016 squad, having received his first call-up toward the end of the 2014-15 season.

The likes of Jamie Vardy have impressed in the past few months, and given Austin's status at QPR as a lower-league forward, he has fallen well behind in the pecking order.

But following this transfer, the spotlight will once again be on the former Burnley man, who will be looking to make a big impression early and prove he's still worth a place in England's top flight.