Reading chief Nicky Hammond admits they resisted Premier League interest for Shane Long.
Long was wanted by West Ham United during the winter market.
Hammond said: "Shane is a Premier League player, we've all seen him develop into that player now. Top strikers in the Premier League require pace, power and athleticism and he has all of those in abundance.
"His game is growing, he's playing regular football which he'd never done previously. He wants to play in the Premier League, I understand that and he will play in the top division.
"But he has a loyalty and affinity to the club and in this window, for us to have no issues with him - no comments in newspapers, no transfer request - it tells you a lot about the boy and his character.
"He's an example of what we try to do here, the type of player we try to bring to the club, players who want to be here.
"Of course there may come a time when if we don't get to the Premier League he may move, but the greatest compliment I can pay him is that we haven't had a single issue with him, where other clubs certainly do with players. That type of player in the modern game is priceless to a football club."
