GARRY DOYLE – 01 JANUARY 2014 QPR have become the eighth club to express interest in Irish international striker Shane Long -- whose new year promises to bring continued speculation about a move to a new club. With the queue of potential buyers rapidly increasing, Long's future with West Brom appears uncertain, not least because only four months have passed since the club agreed to sell him for £6.5m to Hull City. Yet, the chances of Long staying at the Hawthorns beyond January are greater than the possibility of him leaving. QPR, along with Nottingham Forest and Hull, may be prepared to meet the club's asking price and the player's wage demands, but any prospective buyer needs a willing seller. As of now, Albion are keeping their 'For Sale' sign hidden away. Instead, the Baggies are planning to offer Long a new three-year-contract worth £25,000 per week -- £15,000 shy of what the 26-year-old could earn at either QPR or Forest. Should Long reject their proposal, then Albion have no qualms about allowing the remaining six months of his contract to run out -- prior to invoking the clause which allows them retain Long for one further season. And while the aborted business with Hull last August proved how attracted they were to an incoming £6.5m cheque, the ongoing Nicolas Anelka controversy -- combined with their precarious league position -- has left Albion's chief negotiator, sports and technical director Richard Garlick, with the belief that selling now would be the wrong option. West Brom aren't the only club reluctant to carry out any business in January, with Wolves, their nearest neighbours, declaring yesterday that under no circumstances would Kevin Doyle be sold in this transfer window. "I'm looking to add to our strikeforce -- not take away from it," said manager Kenny Jackett. "Kevin is an important player for us." Not important enough, however, to warrant a start for Wolves in their last two games. And, with Kevin Phillips on his way into the club from Crystal Palace, opportunities for Doyle at Molineux may decrease further. Meanwhile, QPR are putting together a £3.5m package in the hope of persuading Sean Murray, the talented Irish U-21 international midfielder, to move from Watford to Loftus Road. The 20-year-old has been an unqualified success for Watford this season and has been identified by QPR's scouting network as one of their chief targets along with Long. http://www.independent.ie/sport/soc...ting-game-as-qpr-join-long-list-29879516.html
Just read this, have always rated Long, reckon he could be the right sort, except he's not English, too young, pacy and relatively injury free - reckon it won't happen, but pleased if it did. Murray sounds a good long term prospect, maybe we'll get him and loan him out til he's old enough Seriously, happy with either to give Charlie some back up.
So there's 2 Championship teams going to offer Shane Long £40k/wk, whilst 2 PL clubs are only going to offer £25-30k/wk for the same player. I'm assuming we're not going to go much above our top earner's £25k (unless Huddlestone is getting more). Does anybody find that a bit worrying? This isn't a "who are the owners thing", this is a general financial thing where £2Mpa for a 2nd tier player seems ridiculous when PL sides are only prepared to pay £1.25M a year despite their much higher revenues.
Meanwhile, QPR are putting together a £3.5m package in the hope of persuading Sean Murray, the talented Irish U-21 international midfielder, to move from Watford to Loftus Road. The 20-year-old has been an unqualified success for Watford this season and has been identified by QPR's scouting network as one of their chief targets along with Long. any jobs going in the scouting network even I would notice an unqualified success is that how they work wait for someone to come good elsewhere and then identify him sounds much easier than having your own youth set up
Would be happy to get Long but not for that fee or salary. Don't know much about Murray but be good to get some additional youth in.
Hard to disagree with that too much. It is, of course, a gamble at promotion with the revenue return justified if promotion occurs. At least Long is a decent player.
No idea what it's related to, but found this on the web: Ian Taylor Tweeted........"R's fans keep an eye on QPR.co.uk this morning, interesting off the field update to start the New Year" .
My Palace pals tell me that the travelling was the issue for KP so it was unlikely he was coming to us.
