Burnely keen to keep Austin

Championship club Burley have moved to deter potential suitors by placing a £7 million price tag on striker Charlie Austin, according to the Express.

The club are keen to keep hold of their prize asset, who has scored 40 league goals since becoming previous manager Eddie Howe’s first signing back in 2011.

Twenty-four of those goals came last season, helping his side to eleventh place in the table, missing out on the play-offs by just seven points.

Aston Villa and Hull City have recently shown an interest in the former Swindon Town man, though they will need to pay a similar figure to what Southampton paid the Clarets for Jay Rodriguez a year ago.

Burnley co-chairman Mike Garlick remained coy on the situation, telling the Lancashire Telegraph: “He is a Burnley player, he is contracted and we would love to keep him”.

No offers have yet been made for the 23 year old, who has one year left on his current deal at Turf Moor.