Soccer-Hasenhuettl willing to let Southampton striker Austin leave

Southampton striker Charlie Austin will be allowed to leave the club if an offer come in before the transfer window closes on Thursday, manager Ralph Hasenhuettl said. Austin, joined Southampton in January 2016 but has barely featured since Hasenhuettl took over from the sacked Mark Hughes in December, and is keen to increase his playing time having found his opportunities limited since the Austrian took charge.

"I think it's sometimes the point that you as a club can't give any player what he expects us to give him," Hasenhuettl told a news conference on Monday. "In this situation we are trying to find a win-win situation for both sides. "In Charlie's situation he played two times from the beginning since I am here and is a fantastic striker who can score for any team.

"He is 100 percent professional and shows the team he is here... if you need him he is immediately in the game." Wolverhampton Wanderers, Aston Villa and Turkish side Galatasaray have been linked with a move for the 29-year-old, who has scored three goals in 18 appearances in all competitions for Saints this season.

"As a player he wants to play from the beginning in the starting XI, and if there is not the option here in Southampton, maybe he looks for another club where he has this option and then we need to talk about this," Hasenhuettl added. "We don't send any player away but if there is a different option for him there could be a conversation with another club. He's an interesting player for other clubs."

Southampton, who are 15th in the Premier League table, host 14th-placed Crystal Palace on Wednesday. (Reporting by Simon Jennings in Bengaluru, editing by Pritha Sarkar)

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