Town are reported to have been given permission to speak to Swindon striker Charlie Austin, a fee having been agreed between the clubs. Earlier this morning TWTD reported that the Blues had emerged as surprise favourites for the 21-year-old’s signature.

Austin is rated in the £2 million bracket and is also understood to be the subject of offers from Burnley, Blackpool and Southampton, although it’s not known whether any other sides have had bids accepted by the Robins.

Austin is not expected to train with the Robins today with Swindon director Jeremy Wray anticipating the striker's exit in the near future: “It could come to a conclusion in the next 24 hours. We will hold out for the best bid for Swindon Town and for Charlie Austin.”

The Blues were previously linked with the £2 million-rated frontman in December 2009 soon after the former bricklayer’s emergence from non-league.

Austin was with Reading’s youth set-up as a schoolboy but dropped out of the professional game, playing with Thatcham Town and hometown side Hungerford Town before joining Wessex League Premier Division club Poole Town in 2008/09.

The 6ft 2in tall striker scored a hugely impressive 46 goals in 46 starts and two sub appearances as the Dolphins won their league by 17 points and also picked up the Dorset Senior Cup.

In the summer of 2009, Austin spent time training with Bournemouth but was unable to join the League Two side due to their transfer embargo. Instead, he signed for Swindon until the end of the 2009/10 season for an undisclosed fee in early October, having already netted 18 goals in 11 appearances for Poole, who remained in the same division despite winning the previous season’s championship.

Austin, who subsequently extended his contract until 2012, netted a further 20 goals for Swindon in his first season in professional football, helping them into the League One play-off final where they were beaten by Millwall.

This season he has continued in a similar vein, scoring 17 times and taking his overall record with Swindon to 58 starts, seven sub appearances and 37 goals.

Photo: Action Images

steed added 13:40 - Jan 27 fingers crossed lol
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Suffolk_n_Good added 13:40 - Jan 27 Please be true!! a young quality player, eager to improve, sign him up Compo!!
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TheCurly added 13:41 - Jan 27 hucks216 sums it up prefectly
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TractorJed added 13:43 - Jan 27 Thats more like it - modest transfer fee, realistic wages and all for a young lad with a very bright future. No more signing players on the slide!!!! Add a full back this week and we are not to far away!!!
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leagueonescum added 13:43 - Jan 27 Some one give me a good kick in the head! I'm thinking that Ipswich may actually be moving towards the premier league instead on league one.
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johnster71 added 13:47 - Jan 27 ive heard his brother steve is available too but can we afford the six million.
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bluelady added 13:53 - Jan 27 just hope this isnt Swindon playing clubs off one another to get the highest bid, i.e making it sound like we are about to sign so the likes of Blackpool come in with a better bid? Agree we are the best outfit from the other three and he may just think jumping straight up to prem is a bit too risky so will settle for a year or two in Championship first? Expect there will be a sell on clause so for Swindon letting him come to a club who can potentially develop his value may well be ideal? Well i have everything that is crossable crossed, if this comes off these is two of the best signings for a long long time, the dark cloak is finally lifting!

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brian_a_mul added 13:55 - Jan 27 £2mil seems a lot for a League 1 striker. I suppose free scoring strikers are always high value plus he is still only 21 with time to improve and develop.
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fatronaldo added 13:57 - Jan 27 johnster71: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0042524/ ? or http://www.austinstevens.net/ ?
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Back_The_Boss added 13:59 - Jan 27 Great news if true!
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Back_The_Boss added 14:01 - Jan 27 COYB!
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JayITFC added 14:13 - Jan 27 2 more goals than Jordan Rhodes this season in League 1 but double the fee. Wouldn't it have been easier/cheaper to have just kept him? I hate Roy Keane. Sigh...
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ClactonBlue added 14:23 - Jan 27 Difference now is that players WANT to play for us with Keane gone. Rhodes like a lot of others just didn't fit Keane's aggresive approach and style of play, where as PJ has a proven man management record. Sadly water under the bridge now, Austin is a better player than Rhodes anyway by the look of him - so lets hope that we can get him in.
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East_of_England added 14:30 - Jan 27 Please no more talk about Jordan Rhodes. His dad got fired and Jordan couldnt/wouldnt stay.
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Surco72 added 15:06 - Jan 27 Johnson71 ... ha ha ha ,you are showing your age there !!!! I think i used to have the action figure
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Lightningboy added 15:29 - Jan 27 Shows you what can happen when you've got a manager who knows how to communicate with people...these deals just go to hammer home what an absolute joke Keane was. I can feel the blue blood of ipswich town flowing freely through my veins once more.
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Back_The_Boss added 16:32 - Jan 27 Hope he comes, big step in the right direction if the rumours are all true. COYB!
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