Anthony Knockaert's admirers have been warned it will take a “special” club to prise him away from Albion.

Scott Minto, Sky Sports’ Championship anchor man, says the French wing wizard “feels part of the family”, because of the way the Seagulls have looked after him.

Knockaert yesterday signed a two-year contract extension with Albion through to June 2021.

Promotion rivals Newcastle had a multi-million pound bid rejected for the former Leicester wide man last summer.

Then in November Chris Hughton and his players went to France for the funeral of Knockaert’s father, Patrick.

Ex-Chelsea and West Ham full-back Minto told The Argus: “Chris Hughton, what he did, going to Anthony Knockaert’s funeral was a fantastic touch. It’s going to take a special club now for Knockaert to leave.

“He feels part of the family and that, in today’s modern football, for managers is such a difficult thing to create.

“How many times do you hear ‘He has lost the dressing room, players aren’t playing for him?’ You’ve got these egos to deal with and there are egos in the Championship.

“Obviously, there are bigger ones in the Premier League, but the way he (Hughton) has dealt with everything has been fantastic.”

Knockaert makes his 53rd Championship appearance for Albion at Nottingham Forest today. The 25-year-old has weighed in with 16 goals, 11 of them this season, and a recent flurry of assists since a bargain £2.6 million switch from Belgian side Standard Liege 14 months ago on a deal until June 2019.

Hughton said: “Anthony has been an integral member of the squad since his arrival in January last year and I am delighted that we have been able to secure his immediate future to the club.

“This new contract recognises the hard work and relentless effort he has given to the team and I am looking forward to working with him over the coming years.”