ALBION are plotting the return of Glenn Murray – but not until next month.

The Seagulls want the Bournemouth target man back on loan to boost their goal tally and push for promotion.

Murray, who still lives locally, will leap at the chance to re-sign for the Seagulls.

They want to delay his comeback until late February to borrow him for the maximum 93 days so he would be available for the play-offs.

Murray has struggled for game time at Bournemouth since a £4 million move from Crystal Palace at the start of September.

He has started only six matches for the Cherries in the Premier League and they signed Benik Afobe from Wolves and Lewis Grabban from Norwich for a total of £17 million earlier this month.

Callum Wilson, Bournemouth’s top scorer last season, is also on the way back from serious knee damage, so Murray’s opportunities are set to be restricted even further.

He scored 56 goals in 136 games for Albion, spearheading their charge to the League One title at Withdean in 2010-11, before joining arch rivals Palace on a free transfer.

The 32-year-old’s 30 league goals two seasons later helped Palace to promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs, including a two-legged victory over Albion.

He has netted 150 goals in 427 career appearances after starting out in the lower divisions with Carlisle, Stockport and Rochdale, the club Albion bought him from for £300,000 eight years ago.

Murray would be the third member of Albion’s squad to return to the club after a long spell away, following a similar path to Bobby Zamora and Steve Sidwell.