Shane Long's time at Southampton is expected to continue beyond this summer.

The 33-year-old's contract with the Premier League club is due to finish at the end of the season. However, the Southern Daily Echo reports that the Ireland international is in line to be handed a new deal at St Mary's.

Long joined Southampton in 2014 from Hull and signed his most recent extension in 2016.

After struggling for game time earlier in the season, Long has established himself as a first choice player in recent months. He has started eight of Southampton's last 11 league games, scoring once and also providing three assists.

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhüttl last month hailed Long as a "really important player" in the club's mid-season resurgence.


That lack of minutes last year significantly hurt Long's international chances under Mick McCarthy. He has not featured for Ireland during the Euro 2020 qualifying campaign.

However, with him now playing regularly, and also finding the net, McCarthy said last week that Long is "pushing all the right buttons" ahead of next month's playoff against Slovakia.