Hull City: Steve Bruce planning to spend Shane Long transfer fee

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Long was involved in Hull City's Europa League third qualifying round tie against AS Trencin

Hull manager Steve Bruce wants to use the 拢12m the club received for striker Shane Long to buy three new players.

Long moved to Southampton on Thursday, having only signed for Hull in January.

The Tigers have been linked with and former Tottenham playmaker Rafael van der Vaart, who is with Hamburg.

"We will invest that money into the squad to make it bigger and better, and we'll be looking to find a replacement," said Bruce.

"I'd like at least another three players to come through the door. The money that we got for Shane will allow us to do that."

Republic of Ireland international Long, 27, only arrived from West Brom in the middle of last season, but Bruce said the 拢12m offer was "too good to turn down".

He added: "It happened so quickly. This time last week I would never have envisaged us being without him."

Hull, who finished last season 16th in the table and were losing finalists in the FA Cup, begin their Premier League campaign at home to QPR on Saturday at 15:00 BST.