Long becomes target man

MARCO TARDELLI has tipped Shane Long for Premiership stardom after Reading chairman John Madejski yesterday slapped a £20m price tag on the Republic of Ireland striker.

Just two days after Reading lost out in the Championship promotion play-off at Wembley, Madejski has already resigned himself to losing Long, though the club might have to accept a quarter of his glowing evaluation now that they have been condemned to another season in the Championship.

Still, the £20m price tag, even if aspirational, is a measure of just how far the Tipperary boy has come since joining Reading from Cork for less than €20,000 just six years ago.