Town are one of four clubs in the hunt for Swindon striker Charlie Austin. Blackpool, Burnley and Southampton are understood to be the other sides interested in the 21-year-old, who looks set to leave the County Ground before the weekend.

According to the local Swindon press, Blackpool, Burnley and Southampton have lodged bids while an unnamed Championship club, understood to be the Blues, are also said to have made their interest known.

Austin is not expected to train with the Robins today with Swindon director Jeremy Wray expecting a deal to be completed in the near future: “It could come to a conclusion in the next 24 hours. We will hold out for the best bid for Swindon Town and for Charlie Austin.”

The Blues were previously linked with the £2 million-rated frontman in December 2009 soon after the former bricklayer’s emergence from non-league.

Austin was with Reading’s youth set-up as a schoolboy but dropped out of the professional game, playing with Thatcham Town and hometown side Hungerford Town before joining Wessex League Premier Division club Poole Town in 2008/09.

The 6ft 2in tall striker scored a hugely impressive 46 goals in 46 starts and two sub appearances as the Dolphins won their league by 17 points and also picked up the Dorset Senior Cup.

In the summer of 2009, Austin spent time training with Bournemouth but was unable to join the League Two side due to their transfer embargo. Instead, he signed for Swindon until the end of the 2009/10 season for an undisclosed fee in early October, having already netted 18 goals in 11 appearances for Poole, who remained in the same division despite winning the previous season’s championship.

Austin, who subsequently extended his contract until 2012, netted a further 20 goals for Swindon in his first season in professional football, helping them into the League One play-off final where they were beaten by Millwall.

This season he has continued in a similar vein, scoring 17 times and taking his overall record with Swindon to 58 starts, seven sub appearances and 37 goals.

Town boss Paul Jewell has hinted that he might look to sign a striker during the transfer window with Rory Fallon having been returned to Plymouth a week before his loan was due to expire.

Story syndicated from TWTD.co.uk

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