Reading are interested in pursuing a move for former Southampton forward and current free agent Shane Long, according to club official Mark Bowen who spoke to Berkshire Live.

The 35-year-old has left St Mary's on the expiration of his contract on the south coast, leaving the Irishman free to discuss terms with other clubs and the Royals are now confirmed to be looking into a potential move for him.

Experience forward Long also represented the Berkshire outfit during a six-year stay at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, proving to be particularly useful during the latter stages of his spell there with his 23 league goals during the 2010/11 campaign taking them to the play-off final.

It's no secret that he's no longer the player he once was despite appearing in the top flight for the Saints last term, scoring just one league goal during the 2021/22 campaign and failing to be prolific enough to remain a key part of Ralph Hassenhuttl's side.

The Royals, meanwhile, are extremely limited in what they can do this summer and although they shouldn't be looking to sign every player under the sun, Long would be a good option to have considering the EFL restrictions they remain under.

As part of the business plan they negotiated with the governing body, they have a wage budget they need to abide by and though the 35-year-old may have been a top-tier player last season, he could be willing to accept a considerably lower salary to join his former club.

It's not as if Southampton is a million miles away from the Select Car Leasing Stadium either, so it's not as if he would need to travel across the country to re-join his former club, a big bonus for a man that will receive a very warm welcome if he was to return to Berkshire.

The fact he's a free agent is also ideal - because Paul Ince's side can only have five loanees in their squad during the 2022/23 campaign and considering the strict business plan they need to remain within - they will probably be using all of those slots in their quest to have enough quality and depth to keep themselves afloat in their current division once again.

They need to address several positions including their left-back spot and central midfield, so they can't afford to take up all of their loan spots quickly and risk leaving themselves short with the free-agent market likely to be less full of high-quality options later in the summer.

As long as they can agree a sensible one-year deal with the former Republic of Ireland international, this would be a great addition despite his lack of goals in recent years, with the 35-year-old able to play up top on his own.

The forward area is another department that needs at least one or two more options, so he would be an extremely useful addition and there's a real chance he could be much more effective on the pitch if he takes the step down to the second tier.