New signing Ben Hall will not be fast-tracked into Albion’s first team to ease their centre-half uncertainties.

That is the verdict of former Seagulls boss Mark McGhee, who gave the highly-rated teenager his chance at Motherwell last season.

Albion are currently light in the centre of defence, with skipper Gordon Greer released and German Uwe Huenemeier ruled out of the start of the season by long-term injury.

They are trying to keep hold of Lewis Dunk after rejecting a £5 million bid from arch-rivals Crystal Palace.

Hall, bought last month from Motherwell, will start off in Albion’s under-21s. McGhee expects it to be a while before the 19-year-old Northern Irishman, who started 16 Scottish Premier League games for Motherwell towards the end of last season, is in senior contention for the Seagulls.

McGhee told The Argus: “He’s a long way from playing in the Championship. That doesn’t mean to say he won’t eventually. He will probably go on loan, find himself at a slightly different level.

“You have to understand his history. When I joined Motherwell last October there were three or four young lads with ability who were not physically equipped to go into the team.

“We strengthened them up. Ben was one of them and when he got in and played he was part of a winning run. The stuff about him moving seemed to distract him a bit but he did really well over the last part of the season.

“He’s a good size, has reasonable pace, he’s brave and decent enough with the ball. He has got the makings of a centre-half. He will have a career that’s for sure. Whether that is where Brighton want to be heading (Premier League) I don’t know.”

McGhee, also Scotland’s No.2, has played down widespread criticism of 35-year-old Greer’s performance for the national team in their recent convincing friendly defeat by Euro hosts France.

“Gordon wasn’t any more culpable than anyone else,” McGhee said. “If he loses ground because he isn’t playing we will have to consider that but if he is still playing I imagine he will be part of the squad going into the next qualifying (World Cup) campaign. He has done really well for us.”