Shane Long Heading to Southampton After Hull City Accept £12m Bid

Southampton have added the final piece to their strike force puzzle after Hull City accepted a £12m bid for Shane Long.

The Republic of Ireland striker is yet to agree personal terms with the Saints but is expected to undergo a medical at Saint Mary's before signing for the south coast club.

Tigers manager Steve Bruce is believed to be reluctant to sell Long but sees the benefit of cashing in on him after just seven months.

The 27-year-old would be the sixth player Ronald Koeman has brought to Southampton this summer following a mass exodus of players.

Goalkeeper Fraser Forster, defender Ryan Bertrand, midfielders Dusan Tadic and Saphir Taider, and striker Graziano Pelle have all joined Southampton as the club looks to spend their way towards the top-half of the Premier League.

Striker Rickie Lambert was the first player to leave Southampton, completing a boyhood dream by moving to Liverpool.

Adam Lallana and defender Dejan Lovren both followed in his footsteps with moves to Anfield, while left-back Luke Shaw joined Manchester United, right-back Calum Chambers signed for Arsenal and record-signing Dani Osvaldo left for Inter Milan on loan.

Long joined Hull from West Brom for £7m in January and scored four times in 15 appearances for the Tigers.

He enjoyed a rapid ascent to the Premier League after playing for League of Ireland side Cork City as recently as 2005.

He helped fire Reading to the top-flight in 2006 but scored just five goals in two seasons at the Madejski Stadium before spending four seasons in the Championship with relegated Reading.

Long then signed for West Brom in 2011, where he scored 19 league goals in 81 appearances before Steve Bruce took him to the KC Stadium earlier this year.