Aston Villa reportedly want to sign Shane Long from Southampton in the summer transfer window.
It was reported that Long is among the targets of Villa manager Steve Bruce between now and the end of the summer transfer window.
The 31-year-old forward is not guaranteed a place in the Southampton starting lineup, and his pace does make him an attractive prospect for the Villans.
However, recent development suggests that Villa may not be able to secure the services of Long this summer.
According to The Birmingham Mail, Villa manager Bruce is not confident that the former Reading and West Bromwich Albion forward will drop down a division from the Premier League to the Championship.
Southampton manager Mark Hughes has also said that the forward will be in his squad this season, with The Birmingham Mail quoting him as saying recently: “I think players, unfortunately – and it happened in my day – when they are not in the first 11 for the first game of the season all of a sudden they get a little bit anxious and think maybe my future lies elsewhere and agents are telling them they’ve got to move.
“And that’s not the case with Shane and the likes of Steven Davis. They’re very much part of what we’re going to do this year and I just said to them, ‘At the end of the year, you’ll look back on the season and you’ll find that you’ve played many, many games so bear with me’.”
With Hughes making it clear that Long is part of his plans, it is going to be hard for Villa to sign him on loan.
After all, Southampton will need the Republic of Ireland international this season, especially if the Saints are involved in a relegation battle.
Moreover, the former Reading forward – who joined Southampton from Hull City in the summer of 2014 for a transfer fee reported by The Daily Mail to be worth £12 million – may not be willing to play in the Championship.
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