West Bromwich Albion will have to break their transfer record to land Reading striker Shane Long.
The Sun says West Brom are weighing up a club-record bid for Long to match West Ham United's £8million offer.
Albion boss Roy Hodgson has been monitoring Irish ace Long for months.
But with the Hammers' bid thought to be £5m plus £3m in add-ons, Hodgson will need to better Baggies' £4.7m outlay on Spanish midfielder Borja Valero in 2008.
West Brom midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu this week signed a three-year deal worth up to £6m.
