QPR co-chairman Tony Fernandes says Southampton pulled off the bargain of the season when they signed striker Charlie Austin for £4m in January.

Speaking to Sky Sports News HQ, Fernandes added that QPR could have held on to the striker had they been closer to the play-off places.

"A club that he really wanted to go to came in and made an offer, so we said okay. We took what money we could," he said.

"It wasn't what we would have liked but we got some money. I tried very hard to extend his contract, we were close while in the Premier League and then we lost one game and he got nervous about it.

"We would have fought very hard to keep him [had we been higher in the table] and I think Charlie would have stayed and helped to take us up. It's hypothetical now, but the player would have made a big impact. It wasn't cashing in, the player wanted to go."