---
title: "Saints turn down audacious bid for Long"
canonical: "https://readliverpoolfc.com/articles/saints-turn-audacious-bid-long/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Luke Osman"
section: "Articles"
published: "2016-01-18T10:04:04Z"
modified: "2016-01-21T11:45:01Z"
---

# Saints turn down audacious bid for Long

[According to the Mirror](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/southampton-reject-liverpool-transfer-move-7195174), Liverpool have had an £8m offer for Southampton forward Shane Long rejected as the Reds continue their search for a new striking option this month.

Long has impressed for the Saints since being drafted into their starting line-up as a temporary replacement for Italian international forward Graziano Pelle who has been suffering from a short-term knee injury. netting three times in his last six outings for the south coast club and proving his capabilities as a forward to Ronald Koeman and inevitably catching the eye of the admiring Jurgen Klopp.

He has netted three times in his last six outings for the south coast club, proving his capabilities as a forward to Ronald Koeman and catching the eye of the admiring Jurgen Klopp.

The bid from Klopp, per the Mirror, was in the region of £8m – a fee that is even less than what Southampton signed the Republic of Ireland frontman for during their turbulent summer of 2014, in which Liverpool signed the trio of Rickie Lambert, Dejan Lovren and Adam Lallana from Long’s current club.

![Michael Steele/Getty Images Sport](https://cdn.readeverything.co/readliverpoolfc/2016/01/499043936.jpg)

Liverpool were hoping that due to the arrival of England forward Charlie Austin from Queens Park Rangers at St Mary’s, they would be in with a chance of making their second acquisition of the January transfer window in the form of Long. However, this is clearly not the case as Southampton have understandably rejected the initial bid.

It comes as no shock to see clubs such as Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, who both utilise a playing style that consists of intensity and high pressing, to be looking at players of Long’s work ethic and determination, but both clubs will have to look elsewhere.