Tigers appeared on the verge of agreeing a deal for forward on transfer deadline day. Check in to Hull City vs Cardiff City
Hull City head coach Steve Bruce says that he still wants to sign West Bromwich Albion front man Shane Long after just missing out on the Republic of Ireland international in the final hours of transfer deadline day, according to reports in the Daily Mail.
The newly promoted Premier League team thought that they had agreed a club-record £6 million deal with the Baggies for the 26-year-old on Sept 2, with Long then being flown in a private jet laid on by the Tigers from the Irish training camp to Leeds-Bradford airport, where Bruce was waiting to meet the striker.
Long then successfully underwent both a medical and agreed personal terms with Hull, only for West Brom to then suddenly, and unexpectedly, pull the plug on the transfer right at the last minute with just hours left of the window, much to Bruce and Hull’s clear annoyment.
However, Bruce says that he would still be keen on bringing Long to the KC stadium at the turn of the year if the forward and his club remained interested in doing a deal, especially with the top-flight new boys desperately in need of more firepower in attack in the north east this season.
“I am a big admirer of the boy and I saw how disappointed he was but that’s football. You never know what will happen but if he became available of course I would be interested,” said Bruce.
“Obviously we were bitterly disappointed we didn’t get Shane Long which would have the icing on the cake but we thought it was really really close.
“He left the headquarters of the Irish and was not on a plane until half six and then I picked him up at Leeds Bradford at half eight and he was having a medical at nine.
“It was always West Brom’s as prerogative he is their player but Shane was as disappointed as anyone. He was left high and dry but that happens in football.
“We must have been there or thereabouts otherwise why let him go on a plane? And we got to level where they wanted to be and what they wanted to have but it is their prerogative but they changed their mind.
“At the end of the day we were that close or why let him on plane and have a medical?”