Albion are planning for life without the creative spark of Joao Teixeira next season.

The Seagulls would love to have the gifted Portuguese playmaker back with them from Liverpool but recognise that is unlikely to happen.

Contingency plans are being made to compensate for the loss of Teixeira.

The 22-year-old’s contribution as an attacking midfielder on loan for the season from Anfield was one of the plus points of an otherwise desperate campaign for Albion as they narrowly avoided relegation from the Championship.

Teixeira was top league scorer with six goals before his season was cut short by a broken leg suffered against Huddersfield at the Amex in April.

He was named Albion’s young player of the season and Liverpool’s Academy player of the year.

The Merseyside giants are expected to send Teixeira out on loan again once he has regained full fitness in September or October.

They are likely to choose a destination other than the Amex, either one of the Championship’s big-hitters or a bottom half Premier League club, to broaden his education.

Losing Teixeira will be softened by the return of Solly March. The versatile 22-year-old made only 13 appearances this season due to a stress fracture of the back and fractured fibula.

Meanwhile, Albion keeper Christian Walton is in contention for England under-20s against Morocco tonight (6pm) in their opening match of the Toulon tournament in France.

Derby County forward Kwame Thomas has replaced Teixeira’s injured Liverpool team-mate Jordon Ibe in the squad.