LIVERPOOL REMAIN INTERESTED in taking Irish international Shane Long to Anfield, renewing their interest as Reading revealed that no prospective buyer has matched the striker’s £8m price tag yet.
West Ham United became the latest club to declare an interest in the 24-year-old yesterday, reportedly offering an initial fee of £5m with £3m in add-ons as they seek to bounce straight back into the Premiership.
Earlier this month, Royals boss Brian McDermott said that the Tipperary man, whose 21 league goals fuelled Reading’s late surge into the Championship play-off places last season, would only be allowed to leave if a top-flight club came calling.
Although West Brom had been the front-runners in the race to snap up Long, the Daily Mail reports that Liverpool scouts were at Reading’s 3-0 win over Northampton last weekend — a game in which the Irishman scored twice.
And, if Kenny Dalglish does want to sign another striker to offset his burgeoning midfield, Reading have reiterated that they will not stand in the way of a move at the right price.
Speaking to the Reading Post last night, the club’s director of football Nick Hammond said “we want Shane at the club, but we have had offers for him. None of those have been at a level or point where we are prepared to trade.
“With every player there comes a point, but we are nowhere near that point yet. If it got to a level that we find acceptable, then we would have to sit down and review it.”
