Roberto De Zerbi lays out Brighton transfer goals ahead of January window

Albion recruited goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, centre-back Igor Julio, midfielders James Milner, Carlos Baleba, and Mahmoud Dahoud, and forward Joao Pedro in the summer for around £80 million; plus attacker Ansu Fati joined on loan from Barcelona.

Conversely, the Seagulls sold stopper Robert Sanchez and midfield duo Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister for approximately £175m.

Head coach De Zerbi has said his starting XI from last season was stronger than his current one, although it can be better, and a whole host of injuries have not helped his cause.

Before facing Crystal Palace on Thursday, the Italian has outlined what the squad needs ahead of the winter transfer window.

"The transfer market, I explain what we need. Not only full backs, we need three or four positions but in the end, the owner (Tony Bloom) and the club have to decide to bring anyone in or not," he said. "I can say my opinion, I can say my idea, I can explain my idea if we want to compete in this way, otherwise we have to accept the different opinions."

Brighton are currently without injured full-backs Tariq Lamptey and Pervis Estupinan, forwards Fati and Julio Enciso are sidelined, winger Solly March could be out for the season, and defenders Adam Webster and Joel Veltman are unavailable.

Moreover, Jakub Moder is coming back from a long-term ACL injury, Danny Welbeck was out for a couple of months with a muscular problem, and Adam Lallana and Milner's minutes need to be managed.

De Zerbi added: “The market is not important. But tomorrow (Thursday) Adam Lallana, Milner, Welbeck, and Moder can’t start the game or play in the first 11. You can imagine how much choice I have, no? Not too many choices. There are 12 players who can start, maybe 13. For it we have to analyse the transfer market. How many players we bring, and what level of players we will bring? Then we can fix the target.

"You have to analyse the situation of the long injuries. For example, Solly March. I don't know how many months he needs to recover. Julio Enciso, he can't play before the end of February or March. Now we are playing for two months without the full-back. We are changing something in the build-up, playing with three defenders at the back, because we have no full-backs, we have to organise.

"I'm honest when I said I want to transform the problems into opportunities. I think we are working harder than in the first part of the season. In the first part of the season we never changed tactics, now we must change and we have to work harder to find a different solution, but it's part of my work, it isn't a problem. I think in the winger position, at the back something."

An interesting January transfer window lies ahead for Brighton.