Shane Long an ideal candidate for cut-price Spurs move

Tim Sherwood’s predilection for playing two strikers means that Tottenham need reinforcements up front and Shane Long looks the perfect fit.

The Irishman has scored four goals for West Brom and and the Republic of Ireland this season and, with Jermain Defoe’s future at White Hart Lane still unsure, he fits the bill of a quick, all-round striker.

Roberto Soldado and Emmanuel Adebayor are the two main forwards at Spurs but the latter especially has been injury-prone in the past and Sherwood is a known admirer of Long.

Shane Long has scored four goals this season

WBA accepted a bid from Hull for the 26-year-old in the summer but the move broke down.

However Long has impressed in the big games this season.

He has led the line well in a struggling team as well as scoring important goals against Chelsea and WBA’s fierce rivals Aston Villa.

Baggies caretaker manager Keith Downing explained: “Shane’s contracted to us, the speculation hasn’t been unsettling.”

However the rumours in the West Midlands suggest that Long could soon be on his way, with Spurs in pole position ahead of Hull.

Shane Long has scored 10 goals in 43 appearance for Ireland

WBA paid Reading £6.5 million for the striker in 2011, however his contract expires in June and the London side could pick up the forward for as little as a third of that figure.

Chairman Daniel Levy has suggested that Sherwood will need to create his own transfer funds in this window.

However, with Defoe and defender Kyle Naughton both rumoured to be leaving sooner rather than later, a cut-price deal for Long would suit both clubs, with WBA not keen on losing the striker for nothing in the summer.

Long started his career with Cork City before moving to Reading where he scored 44 goals in 174 games.