Let’s be clear about something from the start – Reading’s Shane Long is not worth £10M.
Shane Long – is he worth £10M?
But that’s what the Daily Mail is reporting today – that Reading have told Newcastle, Everton, Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion that the Irish International striker will cost £10M.
Nice money if you can get it, and nice try by Reading – but we suppose you can hardly blame the Championship club for trying to get the highest price for their top player.
But that’s only one reason Newcastle are turning to France and Germany for their players this summer, as British players seem to be way over-priced.
Shane did get a good 25 goals for the Royals last season, and looks a natural goal poacher, and he’s a good player, but of course he’s also completely untested in the Premier League.
The Daily Mail is reporting that Sunderland, who seem to be in the business of buying British players this summer, having already brought in Connor Whickham and Craig Gardner, have already bid £7M for the striker.
Reading manager Brian McDermott had this to say about the striker:
“If a Premier League club comes in and we feel it is the right offer there’s nothing we can do.”
We don’t think the 24 year-old, who was born in Gortnahoe, Ireland, is worth £10M – what do you think?
Here’s a poll on it – let us know what you think:
Comments always welcome.
35 comments so far
Xavi
Jul 4, 2011 at 10:24 AM
Comment #1if we paid 10 mill for long i would be livid.
hes not worth 6 mill
Widowmaker
Jul 4, 2011 at 10:26 AM
Comment #22-3 mils would be about right imo
Spike
Jul 4, 2011 at 10:33 AM
Comment #3I do fear for english players in the next few years.
If every team start to recruit players from abroad due to the lower prices, there will be no need and no place for homegrown english players in any top team. These players will end up playing at a lower level and it will not be good for the national team in the long run.
And this is due to the greed of clubs slapping stupid price tags on mediocre english players.
~Vive la révolution de Châteauneuf~
Jul 4, 2011 at 10:33 AM
Comment #4Do pigs fly?
lekech
Jul 4, 2011 at 10:34 AM
Comment #53mil upfront… another 1mil based on appearance. thats about right.
BonVoyageBenny
Jul 4, 2011 at 10:34 AM
Comment #6Worth about £4M – but like I’ve always said, the British market is hugely inflated. Hope to see some players from the German league come in, great talent over there.
hitman
Jul 4, 2011 at 10:34 AM
Comment #7half it then half it again 🙂
innoculator
Jul 4, 2011 at 10:35 AM
Comment #8He’s not worth 10 mill, he’s not a British player and he has been tested in the Premiership, he already has made 50 Prem appearances. Otherwise good article.
~Vive la révolution de Châteauneuf~
Jul 4, 2011 at 10:35 AM
Comment #9Only a handful of young english players are worth around 8 digit figures… and even then, atleast another 10 mill is slapped onto their price tag.
Rediculous… especially after watching the England under 21’s, i wouldnt even consider paying over the odds for them.
Geordiedoonsooth
Jul 4, 2011 at 10:36 AM
Comment #10If he’s worth £10m then Strola’s worth £15m & Best is worth £20m. Enough said!
G
Jul 4, 2011 at 10:36 AM
Comment #11hitman @ 7. Nail on the head.
Robs
Jul 4, 2011 at 10:38 AM
Comment #12Liverpool paid £35million for Andy Carroll – By that rational Shane Long has to be worth at least £10m!
Toon_Sydney
Jul 4, 2011 at 10:42 AM
Comment #13his not worth that, but these days clubs over pay for avg players
PHOENIXNIGHTS
Jul 4, 2011 at 10:45 AM
Comment #14have any of you guys seen Long play ? really good last year and a couple of good years previous. the market states you pay top dollar for him ( 6- 8 million probably)
he is a busy player who keeps the oppo defence on their toes and more importantly he knows where the back of the net is. I for one would like to see him here but that is my opinion.
Keep the Faith
geordiedownsouth
Jul 4, 2011 at 10:48 AM
Comment #15http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_7017910,00.html
Looks like zog wont be here after all lads at least CWARRSHOLE will have to delete twatter account
whatsup
Jul 4, 2011 at 10:49 AM
Comment #16This way of going for players is not the right way. We should identify the player we want then go an buy him. The people running the club need to have some conviction and back the decisions of who they want to play for us and then go and buy them, not piss about haggling over a few million. Identify the players we want and get them
SincerelySamuel
Jul 4, 2011 at 10:51 AM
Comment #17i agree hes a decent finisher but £10 mil is pushing it abit far. £6mil max
Knocking on Beavans Door
Jul 4, 2011 at 10:52 AM
Comment #18The stupid money spent on the Torres and AC transfers seems to have pushed valuations through the roof. And those two hardly shone after their moves, did they?
Hebburn Mag
Jul 4, 2011 at 10:53 AM
Comment #19At the end of the day with all of the current prices payed for players like £35 million for Carroll and between £8 -12 million for Wickham and also £18 million for Henderson, no player has a specific price tag they are only worth what a team is willing to pay for them. Before you know it £10 million will be the minium price expected from a team for average players with the maximum price for the best players reaching the extreme heights of £100 million plus. Nobody thought caroll was worth £35 million and they were probably right but with football going the way it is we shouldnt be suprised by the prices managers are putting on their players when they know someone will meet it.
Marty-Toon
Jul 4, 2011 at 10:53 AM
Comment #20Is Andy Carroll worth 35Million??????
Carroll didn`t get near as many goals as Long did in the championship and he had a team of PL players around him!!!!
Seems like Long could be the better player and Natural goalscorer.10 Million is nothin these days but would rather pay 6 for him
shear-class
Jul 4, 2011 at 10:56 AM
Comment #21I would say £3.5mil maximum if he worth £10mil then daniel sturridge must be worth £30mill then again i take everything the daily mail says with a pinch of salt
balubas1
Jul 4, 2011 at 10:56 AM
Comment #22he’s worth 1mill.. 1,5 at most.
Marty-Toon
Jul 4, 2011 at 10:57 AM
Comment #23Geordie Down South!!!
Shola and Best worth more???
What league have you been watchin?Best never got near 25 goals in the Championship and Strolla is just another story.
The guy is a talented striker and we could do well to get him,he played brilliant all year.
Phil K
Jul 4, 2011 at 10:59 AM
Comment #24Astonished the makems are thinking of 7 mill.
Still, if it DOES come off, it’d be a great stroke.
And despite it being US that have the money, it’s the makems spending !
TS -77
Jul 4, 2011 at 11:05 AM
Comment #25Well he bagged 25 this season in the championship. Carroll scored 19-20 ?? and worth £35 million 6 month later so maybe Long is worth $10 after all. Just a thought..
Benton Toon Exile
Jul 4, 2011 at 11:16 AM
Comment #26Worth a punt I think.
But some more lerned than me think Long is no better than Best, Ameobi, routledge etc..
Nick 69
Jul 4, 2011 at 11:22 AM
Comment #27Phil K – the mackems have more money than us. They have around £40m off Bent and Henderson transfers
Benji84
Jul 4, 2011 at 11:42 AM
Comment #28What is it with english players costing so much are they really that good or is it people believing that because you want a player thats been in that league you have to pay big cash for experience?
YoYo Yohan
Jul 4, 2011 at 11:47 AM
Comment #29Buy Erdinc instead for less. Him and Ba for £7 Million or so would be extremely good business, costing less than this guy in the process.
Long isn’t british aswell Ed, he’s Irish.
Davies
Jul 4, 2011 at 12:46 PM
Comment #30It’s all relative really. He could come here and bang in 25 goals next season, which would make him well worth £10m, but we won’t know that if we go about haggling over price. He’s worth whatever is paid for him. Personally, I wouldn’t splash that kind of money on him when there are better options for the same money from overseas. I do think he’d be a good addition to the team, if we bought him, but I’d be apprehensive to pay any more than £7m for him.
Tom_Toon
Jul 4, 2011 at 1:59 PM
Comment #31Erding is better than Long
and
Erding is cheaper than Long.
Need I say more?
MT
Jul 4, 2011 at 2:57 PM
Comment #32why we use 10M to buy a Championship Striker?
we can buy Striker in South America.they have skill & score ability.and one thing is important they are not expensive.
max
Jul 4, 2011 at 5:42 PM
Comment #33can he control the ball well??? can he make an assit to his teammate?? we need a striker that can hold the ball well..
DaraghL
Jul 4, 2011 at 11:42 PM
Comment #34Hes not British have some respect Ed
DaraghL
Jul 4, 2011 at 11:50 PM
Comment #35Yes he can Max hes terrific when he plays for Ireland anytime I’ve seen him my biggest criticism has been Long’s finishing but that looks resolved recently.
Against Uruguay he was exceptional he single handedly terrorised a defence that got t the semi’s of the world cup only a year before.
He must have won 80/90% of kickouts that went his way. Held the ball up well bringing the midfield in but unlike most he could use the ball aswell including one case where he turned two and had them beat for pace winning a penalty.
Only one example but was a joy too watch would love to see him in a toon kit.
10m for an unproven EPL striker is high but the only person affected by us paying too much is ashley if hes willing to pay we will have a fan favourite. IMO of course.