Long lodged with McDermott when he first signed from Cork City

Reading manager Brian McDermott has said there is little he can do to stop striker Shane Long leaving the club.

Celtic, Newcastle and Everton are being linked with a move for the Republic of Ireland international.

McDermott told BBC Berkshire: "If a Premier League club comes in and we decide the deal is right and Shane wants to go there's nothing we can do.

"It's important I do the right thing by him as well. For me he'll go down as a very special Reading player."

He added: "Do I want to lose Shane Long? No, absolutely not.

"Last season we lost Gylfi Sigurdsson just before the transfer window shut and it took us a while to get over that - 12 or so games."

Long scored 25 goals for the Royals in the 2010/11 season, but started slowly, finding the net only four times in his first 19 league appearances.

"He was getting a little bit of stick as well but he's really come good over a period of time," McDermott said.

"I would sign him for any club I ever managed."

The Reading manager also paid tribute to outgoing defender Ivar Ingimarsson, who left the club last Thursday after his contract expired.

McDermott said: "It was right for him and it was right for the club. He wants to play week-in week-out and I understand that and the last thing I wanted would have been a frustrated Ivar around the place if he wasn't playing.

"He's done a fantastic job for Reading over a five-year period. Steve Coppell said he was probably his best signing, which is a massive compliment to Ivar.

"So he'll move on with all our best wishes from the players and the staff and all the fans."

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