Albion boss Chris Hughton has hailed latest signing Izzy Brown as a flexible friend for his attacking options in the Premier League.

The Seagulls have landed the 20-year-old on a season-long loan from Chelsea, as exclusively revealed yesterday on The Argus website.

Brown, who has also signed a new, long-term contract with Chelsea, went straight into action in last night’s 3-0 friendly win at Southend United, playing for just over an hour on the left flank.

Hughton said: “I’m really delighted to have him on board. He’s a player we know well.

“He had a very good period at Huddersfield last season in a successful season for them and he’ll bring good options.

“There was interest in him and credit to the work our club have done and to the lad himself. He wanted to come.

“He was around us last season in games against Huddersfield, so he knew us quite well.

“It’s a really good opportunity for the lad to develop with us.”

The versatile Brown operated on the left in a loan spell in Holland, as a striker for Rotherham and No.10 for Huddersfield, who were promoted with Albion via the play-offs.

Hughton told The Argus: “Izzy can play on either flank, but we know he can off the front as well. Eventually he could play as a No.9 but I don’t see him as a nine, I see him as one that is going to play off a front man or in a wide area.

“We are playing in a division now where we are going to be severely tested and we are going to have to vary our game at times.

“We certainly need some versatility and Izzy gives us that.”

Solly March scored two first half goals at Southend as Hughton split the squad between the friendly at Roots Hall and a game behind closed doors earlier in the day against Crawley at the Lancing training complex.

Hughton said of the Southend performance: “We went about our business in a really good way.”