ALBION have this afternoon completed the signing of Reading striker Shane Long for an undisclosed fee.
The 24-year-old has penned a three-year deal, plus a further year's option, after passing a medical - becoming the Baggies' sixth new arrival of the summer.
Long averaged virtually a goal every other game for the Championship play-off finalists last season, netting 25 times in only 51 starts.
And with six goals to his name from just 19 appearances for the Republic of Ireland, Roy Hodgson believes this is the right time for Long to step back up to the Barclays Premier League.
The head coach said: "Shane is one of the most talented young strikers outside of the Premier League and I'm delighted to welcome him to the club.
"He is a goalscorer and a hard-working player who has a very good attitude to the game.
"The great thing about him is that even though he is still only 24, he has six years' worth of experience of Premier League, Championship and international football and has margin for improvement in his game.
"We now hope to see him fulfil that potential over the next few years at West Bromwich Albion.
"Many other clubs have shown an interest in Shane and it is great that we have managed to acquire his services.
"With the signing of Shane, our squad is looking close to being complete."
After completing his move, Long has linked back up with the Ireland squad - including new Baggies team-mate Simon Cox - ahead of tomorrow's friendly against Croatia in Dublin.
The 5ft11in forward will train with Albion for the first time on Friday.
Reading plucked Long from Cork City's youth system in 2005 and although he was initially viewed by the Royals as 'one for the future', his rapid progression in the first half of 2005/06 saw him earn a first-team debut at the end of December.
Three days later, he scored a dramatic late equaliser at Derby and he continued to impress, netting twice in the 5-0 home win that earned Reading the Championship title in April.
During the next two seasons in the Premier League, the majority of Long's appearances came from the bench.
But he still impressed enough to earn his first caps for Ireland in the early part of 2007, as well as going onto score his first goals at top-flight and international level.
Long had now become an integral part of the Reading squad and was handed the No.9 shirt in the summer of 2009.
He really hit form in the second half of the ensuing season, scoring the club's historic winner at Liverpool in the FA Cup and also netting twice against Villa in the Royals' first quarter-final appearance in the competition for 83 years.
Last term, Long enjoyed his most prolific season in English football to date.
As well as finishing as the joint-second top scorer in the Championship, he was crowned the FAI's Young Player of the Year for 2010.
In total, Long made 202 appearances for Reading, including 83 as sub, scoring 54 goals.
Albion have also signed Ben Foster, Zoltan Gera, Billy Jones, Marton Fulop and Gareth McAuley during the summer transfer window.
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