Albion boss Gus Poyet is planning talks with new Plymouth chief Peter Reid over the future of Ashley Barnes.

The Seagulls want the young striker back following his free-scoring loan spell at the end of last season.

They have been left in limbo while relegated Argyle sorted out a successor to Paul Mariner but Poyet will soon be in touch now that Reid has quit his role as No. 2 at Stoke to return to management at Home Park.

The pair have, coincidentally, recently been working together on the World Cup for a foreign TV station.

Poyet said: “He was absolutely fantastic. He’s a terrific man. It’s so nice to hear the way he tells his stories about football, so I’m pleased to have him in the division.

“Unfortunately, Plymouth haven’t named their manager until now. We have just been waiting to find out what they are looking to do with Ash.

“It would be nice to have him back. You can have a player you have seen playing for another team and you like him and you go and try to get him, or a player you already have, somebody you know exactly how he behaves, trains and plays.

“That is the situation with him, (Kazenga) LuaLua and Lee Hendrie, because they have been good for us.”

Newcastle winger LuaLua and former Derby midfielder Hendrie also remain targets after performing well in loan stints with Albion at the end of last season.

Poyet said: “Of course, everybody has a price and we need to talk about it. It’s not easy with any of them but we’ll see.

“LuLua, especially, is attached to Newcastle and we’re still not 100 per cent sure whether it is going to happen or not. We’re waiting on them more than our desire to get the player.”