Queens Park Rangers are eyeing up a cut-price move for Rickie Lambert this summer, as they prepare to allow star striker Charlie Austin – a reported Liverpool target – to move on.
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According to the Evening Standard, Rangers have all but given up on the prospect of keeping Austin following their relegation to the Championship, with the Reds just one of a number of clubs interested in the 18-goal forward.
The Standard believe that a bid in the region of £15m could convince the London club to sell, while the possibility of including Lambert as part of any potential move could sweeten the deal for both sides – QPR get a ready-made replacement who should be excellent at Championship level, while we get a reduced fee and a player off our books.
We all know that we’re in dire need of a summer revamp up front, with Mario Balotelli and Fabio Borini also likely to be leaving (via the Mirror), and at least one new man set to be coming in. The Standard suggests that we’re also keeping tabs on Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke and Burnley’s Danny Ings, while Divock Origi will of course be rejoining us following the completion of his year on loan with Lille.
Lambert started just 11 games for us this season following his move from Southampton, scoring three goals.