NEWCASTLE UNITED have been told to forget about reviving interest in Charlie Austin in January – even though the Queens Park Rangers striker will become a free agent next summer.

The Magpies, who yesterday insisted that Daryl Janmaat has only pulled out of the Holland squad as a precautionary measure, are looking to make changes to Steve McClaren’s squad in January.

And while such changes could depend on player movement out of St James’ Park or the club’s positioning in the Premier League, Austin is seen as a realistic target because of the short length of time he has remaining on his contract.

But Austin is understood to have told those close to him that he is in no rush to get his future sorted before the end of the season, knowing he could move on for nothing at the end of his Loftus Road deal next summer.

QPR tried to make interested clubs pay £15m for the former Burnley front-man following relegation from the top-flight, but found that nobody was willing to budge with his contract entering its final 12 months.

Since an unsettling period he has responded by scoring seven goals in the Championship to lift QPR up to 11th and within three points of a play-off place after ten matches.

There remains significant interest in him from Premier League clubs but the 26-year-old and his representatives know he could be better off seeing out the rest of the campaign with Rangers.

QPR were keen get him to sign a new deal and the chances of that happening could rest on whether or not they are still in the promotion picture after Christmas.

Newcastle will be open to offers for striker Papiss Cisse again by then, which would prompt McClaren’s push for the boardroom to get Newcastle an extra striker and Jeach-Michel Lasogga was targeted in August.

The Newcastle boss is still trying to come up with the best way for his team to play after a disappointing start to his first season in charge which has left him wondering where his first league win will come from.

McClaren’s men are sitting bottom of the table after eight matches and he is desperate for any good news he can get at the minute, which was one of the reasons why he is encouraged by Janmaat’s fitness.

The Dutch full-back has been feeling stiffness in his knee since joining up with the Holland squad for the European Championship qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Czech Republic. He is due back on Tyneside for assessment and it is hoped he will be available to face Norwich on October 18.

Janmaat has left compatriots Tim Krul, Vurnon Anita and Georginio Wijnaldum with the Dutch party as they look to seal the victories which could still give them a chance of qualifying for the European Championships next summer via a play-off spot.