Will Buckley has revealed it never entered his head to force a move away from Albion to the Premier League.

Buckley and Liam Bridcutt were both targeted by former boss Gus Poyet during the January transfer window.

Bridcutt handed in a transfer request and the midfielder was eventually sold to Sunderland but Buckley remains committed to the Seagulls.

The fit-again winger, who signed a new four-and-a-half year contract 14 months ago, told The Argus: “Liam obviously had his reasons for doing that.

“He felt it was time to move on for himself and maybe for the club, I’m not sure, but I never would have had any intention of doing that.

“At the end of the day it’s the club’s decision. It’s kind of nothing to do with the player. If they say ‘No we want to keep you’ then that’s a good thing really because it shows how much the club rates you.

“I am grateful for what Brighton have given me, so I could never begrudge anything they do.

“I am contracted to do the best I can for Brighton and that’s my full intention at this minute and to try to get them into that Premier League.

“That is the big thing for everyone at the club. Everyone wants to play as high as they can. To do it with this club would be the best outcome.”

Buckley was also linked with arch-rivals Crystal Palace in January, when he was sidelined by a hamstring injury.

“I think there were a few bids and I believe also the club turned them down,” he said. “I wasn’t concentrating on that, I was just concentrating on getting back fit and playing and helping the team to where we want to be, which is obviously in the play-offs.

“It can be in the back of the mind when you see and hear speculation. For me, because I wasn’t playing, it was probably even more frustrating.”