Queens Park Rangers have been handed a huge boost to their hopes of completing a deal to bring Charlie Austin to the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium this summer.

What’s the latest?

According to a statement posted on the West Bromwich Albion website, the Baggies will not be offering the 31-year-old a new contract at The Hawthorns, meaning that the centre-forward will become a free agent on 30 June – with Mark Warburton’s QPR side thought to be keen on a move for the £1.8m-rated man.

Warburton will be buzzing

Having highly impressed over a five-month loan spell in west London in the second half of the season, the confirmation that West Brom will not be keeping Austin on their books this summer is sure to have Warburton buzzing.

Over his 21 Championship appearances for QPR this term, the £52k-per-week striker scored eight goals, provided one assist and created two big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.3 shots and making 0.5 key passes per game.

These returns saw Austin earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.94, ranking him as the club’s eighth-best performer in the second tier, as well as leaving him joint-second top league goalscorer.

As such, with the January arrival of the forward coinciding with a dramatic upturn in form at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium – with Warburton’s side ranking third in the Championship table since the turn of the year – the fact that the player whom Sean Dyche dubbed “top drawer” will be available to sign on a free transfer this summer would appear to be very good news for QPR indeed.

And, with Austin recently confirming that talks are already underway between him and the Rs regarding his return to the club on a permanent basis, everything would very much seem to be pointing towards a deal being completed in the not so distant future.

In other news: QPR transfer claim emerges on “magnificent” £2.25m-rated gem, Warburton will be gutted – opinion