Brian McDermott admits Reading would be unable to prevent striker Shane Long joining a Premier League club.
Royals boss accepts club could not stop striker leaving
Reading manager Brian McDermott admits the club would be unable to prevent striker Shane Long joining a Premier League club.
The Republic of Ireland has been linked with a top-flight switch following the Royals' play-off final heartache to Swansea City at Wembley.
SPL giants Celtic are also said to be monitoring the 24-year-old, who scored a healthy 21 league goals for McDermott's side last season.
Reading's boss believes that if a Premier League side came in for the Irish marksman and the price was right that they would be powerless to prevent his exit.
Deal
"If a Premier League club comes in and we decide the deal is right and Shane wants to go there's nothing we can do," admitted McDermott.
"It's important I do the right thing by him as well. For me he'll go down as a very special Reading player.
"Do I want to lose Shane Long? No, absolutely not.
"Last season we lost Gylfi Sigurdsson just before the transfer window shut and it took us a while to get over that - 12 or so games."
