QPR boss ‘very optimistic’ Austin will return for Boro game

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QPR boss Mark Warburton is “very optimistic” that Charlie Austin will return for Wednesday’s game at Middlesbrough.

The striker has been unavailable since taking a heavy knock to his knee during the recent draw with Millwall.

But Austin was due to train on Monday morning with a small group of players mostly made up of substitutes for Saturday’s 3-0 win at Hull.


Sam McCallum, meanwhile, is due to train on Tuesday morning with a view to possibly making his Rangers debut this weekend.

Warburton explained: “Charlie will be training today and we’ll see how he goes.

“It’ll be a group of 10 players working this morning – the likes of George (Thomas), Albert (Adomah) and Andre (Dozzell).

“It was a whack on the knee, some bruising and it had to calm down. We’ll see how he is, but I’m very optimistic.”

Left-back McCallum has not featured in a competitive match for Rangers since arriving on loan from Norwich.

McCallum has been ill but could be in the squad for Saturday’s game against Barnsley and should certainly be involved in next week’s Carabao Cup tie against Oxford United.

“He’ll be back in I hope tomorrow,” said Warburton.

“He won’t travel with us to Middlesbrough but hopefully will be available for selection at the weekend. And if not, for the Oxford game.”

Meanwhile, Warburton has described reports keeper Seny Dieng could leave for £6m as “ludicrous”.