Austin targets 20 goals for Saints next term

Charlie Austin has set his sights on scoring 20 goals next season after an injury-curtailed campaign for Southampton.

The striker made a strong start to the season, with nine goals before Christmas only for a shoulder problem to cause him to miss most of the rest of the campaign.

He made his return in Saints’ final game, a defeat to Stoke, and after a busy campaign he is already looking ahead to making an impact next year.

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“I was on a roll with nine goals by the start of December and I really thought I was going to get to 20,” he said.

“I was playing some really good football. But next year I’m going to give it another good go and try to get to 20 as quickly as I can – that will be the aim.

“The club needs to appreciate how well the lads have done throughout the season.

“Stoke was our 53rd game of the season, we finished eighth in the Premier League, we played in the Europa League and we had a cup run and got to a final. We’ve got to be happy with that.

“You look at the top six and they’ve been solid this year and rightly so they’ve gone away with it. But we’ll regroup over the summer, come back pre-season and have a right good go in one, if not two, of the cups and have a good go for Europe next year.”