Updated at 16.29
SHANE LONG HAS officially joined Southampton from Hull after completing a reported £12million (€14.9m) move today.
The Ireland striker leaves Hull after only signing for them last January, subsequently scoring four goals in 15 appearances for the Tigers.
Southampton are currently undergoing a rebuilding process, after several stars including Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana left Ronald Koeman’s side during the summer, with others expected to follow Long through the entrance door at St Mary’s before the summer transfer window closes.
Speaking following the news, the striker told the official Saints website:
“I’m delighted. This came out of the blue for me but, once I’d come and had a look at the training facilities and met the manager, it seemed like the right decision for me and my family.
“It was a hard decision for me to make, but when you come down to Southampton you see how big a club it is and how well set up it is.
“You look at how well they did last season and they are developing a new squad for this year to try and achieve those accomplishments again, and hopefully I can be a big part of that.
“Southampton play a brand of football that’s enjoyable to watch, and I’m sure it’ll be enjoyable to play in as well. I think the formation they play will suit me, and the manager has a lot of knowledge about football and I’m looking to learn off him.”
Manager Ronald Koeman added: “Shane is a very good player. As a striker, he’s different to Graziano Pellè, which is something we needed.
“He brings ambition and a great mentality — he’s always running and always working, and he’s very down-to-earth. He’s a great person, and we need that type of player.
“He brings a lot of experience to our squad because he’s already played at Premier League level for a few years. He knows what we need at this level, and he can show that to our younger players as well.
“Shane will be an important player for us and our future.”
