Wednesday 16 December 2015 11:06, UK
Charlie Austin has confirmed that he will not be leaving QPR in January, and intends to stay at the club until the end of the season.
Austin's current deal expires at the end of the season, but new QPR boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink said the forward would not be allowed to go on a cut-price deal upon taking charge at Loftus Road.
The striker scored a second-half double to rescue a draw for QPR against Brighton on Tuesday evening, and speaking to Sky Sports after the game, said he is planning to remain a QPR player through the January transfer window.
"I set out at the start [of the season] and I said to Les [Ferdinand] that I'm going to be here for the rest of the season," Austin said. "So I'm not going anywhere."
Hasselbaink reiterated his desire to keep Austin at the club following the draw against Albion, but said the final decision will rest with the club's owners.
"I think in football you can't guarantee anything," Hasselbaink said. "Everyone wants to make profit and at the end of the day it's a business. We have to understand that, as a manager and as a club.
"Do we want to put him up for sale? No. The club does not want to sell him. But, on the other hand, it's up to the owners. I can only advise. I can only say, 'No, I don't want him to leave, I need him'. I think they will respect that."
After a run of five home clean sheets, QPR conceded twice in quick succession against unbeaten Brighton, as Dale Stephens and Rajiv Van La Parra put the away side in control after 55 minutes.
"We went 2-0 down with two sloppy goals really," Austin continued. "[But] I think we had the momentum and got the goal back and the crowd got behind us, you could say the red card helped, but we would have got the goal anyway.
"The lads deserved the point and worked so hard throughout the 90 [minutes], but I think we'll be disappointed with the goals we conceded."
Austin played his first full 90 minutes in the league since early November, and said he felt fine upon his return from a niggling calf injury.
"I felt alright, the international break probably hindered me a little bit and then Middlesbrough i missed out, I felt fit and fresh coming in and now it's all about getting minutes under my belt," Austin continued.
