Chief executive Paul Barber has hailed Albion's transfer window dealings as a success.

He says the Seagulls are equipped to be strong contenders for promotion again, despite not adding to the strike force on the final day of trading.

The club achieved the main aim of keeping the squad in-tact while strengthening the spine.

Barber said: "Overall, we are very pleased with our work in this summer's transfer window. We would have definitely liked to have added another attacking option but our plan to sign Alex Pritchard didn't come off and our other targets couldn't be prised from their existing clubs.

"We will only spend money on players that strengthen our group, and in an over-heated market we won't over-pay for alternatives that simply don't meet this objective.

"We are very confident that we have very healthy competition for places, strength and depth, and very good offensive and defensive options all over the pitch to mount another strong challenge for promotion."

Albion rejected bids from Burnley for Dale Stephens, from Newcastle for Anthony Knockaert and from Crystal Palace for Lewis Dunk worth well over £20 million in total.

They re-signed Glenn Murray and Steve Sidwell and also captured Ollie Norwood, Shane Duffy and Sebastien Pocognoli.

Barber, speaking to the club website, said: "Our key objective this summer was to retain our best players which, despite a lot interest and a number of offers for different players in our squad, we have managed to do.

"We have an excellent group of player and, having narrowly missed out on reaching The Premier League last season, felt it was very important to keep the group together for another promotion challenge this year.

"We also wanted to add more depth to our squad in the three key central areas. By bringing in Glenn Murray, Ollie Norwood (below), Shane Duffy and re-signing Steve Sidwell, we've achieved this too.

The Argus: "Liam Rosenior's injury at Reading will see him miss at least three months of this season, so this meant we also needed to add further cover at full back. We were delighted to secure Sebastien Pocognoli on a season-long loan from West Bromwich Albion late last night.

"We have also been further buoyed by the return to fitness of Solly March and Uwe Hunemeier from long-term injuries - and Connor Goldson has now recovered from the injury which ruled him out of the first five games of the season."

Former Albion defender turned media pundit Adam Virgo tweeted tonight: "Really feel Brighton needed another striker to add to the 3 already. Only feel Murray can score 15 plus goals this season."