Glen Rea could get more game time in Albion’s first team this season.

Boss Chris Hughton says the extent to which he is used hinges on how the Seagulls deal with their centre-half shortage in the rest of the transfer window.

Rea will continue to deputise for injured captain Gordon Greer at Aberdeen tomorrow (3pm).

Lewis Dunk, the subject of a rejected £4 million bid from Fulham, was sidelined by a knock from Wednesday’s 3-0 win at Crawley.

Rea was partnered there by stand-in skipper Bruno in the first half, then Tom Dallison after a calf niggle forced off the Spaniard.

Hughton said of Rea: “He’s very much more in the first team group now. He’s been with us since day one pre-season but most would agree that’s (centre-half) an area we know we are looking to bring in, simply because of what we lost with Greg (Halford) and (Aaron) Hughesy last season.

“He’s certainly done himself no harm pre-season. He has trained well with the group and done well enough in the games but his involvement will depend really on what we bring in.”

Rea, 20, was converted into a deep-lying midfielder last season when he captained the under-21s, became a Republic of Ireland under-21 international and worked his way onto the fringes of Albion’s first team squad.

Hughton said: “He can do both but I think he is that way around, a centre-half that can play in midfield.

“I think his best position is at centre-half but whether that is the position where he will end up doing the best job still needs to be determined. His flexibility is no harm.”

Meanwhile, Andrew Crofts could make his comeback from a second serious knee injury in the latter stages of Albion’s pre-season programme.

The midfielder has been involved in training but the Seagulls want to ease him back into action. They visit Crofts’ old club Gillingham on Wednesday (7.45) before the final friendly against Sevilla at the Amex a week tomorrow (4pm).