Albion are in no rush to add a striker to the squad after another injury setback for Craig Mackail-Smith.

The Seagulls have no plans to bring another forward in before the transfer window shuts at 11pm this evening.

They will wait instead until the loan window opens next week for the opportunity to sign a short-term replacement.

The Argus website revealed on Saturday that Mackail-Smith has suffered an ankle injury during his recovery from a ruptured Achilles.

The Seagulls hoped to have him back by October but he is likely to be out of action now until mid-November.

Ashley Barnes is expected to recover from a hip injury during the international break to compete with current front pair Leo Ulloa and Will Buckley when Albion return to action at Reading on Sunday week.

The Seagulls will also look at the option of signing another forward on a maximum 93-day loan next month.

Head coach Oscar Garcia, speaking about the chances of a permanent addition before tonight's cut-off, said: "It's difficult, not impossible but difficult, because we have nothing in the pipeline to sign any players.

"We know in September we can have loan players for the short-term and maybe we'll have to do this.

"We'll have to see week by week with Craig. It's not easy to say at this time when he will be fit, because he has been out for a long time."

Kazenga LuaLua, who came off the bench to set up Leo Ulloa's late equaliser in the 1-1 home draw with ten-man Millwall, is also part of Albion's lengthy casualty list.

Oscar revealed: "He's not fit enough, he's not 100 per cent, He's had some problems in his knee and he cannot play many minutes."