Adam El-Abd's long association with Albion has ended with a permanent move to Bristol City.

El-Abd has agreed a contract with the League One strugglers until June 2017 following talks this afternoon with Bristol boss and former Seagulls loan striker Steve Cotterill.

El-Abd has been Albion's third choice centre-half under Oscar Garcia this season, behind captain Gordon Greer and Matt Upson, after signing a new contract in the summer when Barnsley were interested in him.

He was relegated to the bench against Birmingham last Saturday after six successive starts to make way for the return to the starting line-up of fit-again Greer.

Egyptian international El-Abd was brought on in the dying stages of the 1-0 victory at The Amex.

It was the 29-year-old's 300th League appearance for Albion since making his first team debut in November 2003.

Lewis Dunk, Albion's fourth-choice central defender behind El-Abd, ironically had a loan spell at Bristol City earlier in the season under former manager Sean O'Driscoll.