GLENN MURRAY has urged Albion to cling on to their midfield kingpins to mount another push for promotion to the Premier League.

He believes Dale Stephens and Beram Kayal would be difficult to replace if they were lured away.

Stephens set up the opening goal of pre-season for Kayal in the 4-0 friendly win at Crawley.

The Seagulls recently turned down a £4 million second bid from Burnley for Stephens, while Kayal was speculatively linked with Hull.

Murray, on target three minutes into his comeback to the club as a half-time substitute on loan from Bournemouth, told The Argus: “If the club want to take that next step you’ve got to keep your best players and I believe those two are definitely two of our better players.

“They showed that throughout last year. The main thing is they complement each other and that’s difficult to find in teams in this day and age.”

Albion were soon back into their stride after last season’s agonising near-miss, Kayal’s fellow Israeli Tomer Hemed and fringe Dutchman Elvis Manu also finding the net.

Murray, who fired the club to the League One title in his first spell five years ago, said: “It’s been mentioned a couple of times what happened last season, just in conversation over meals and that, but the boys seem pretty over it and raring to go again to hopefully put that right this year.

“It’s a much better squad than when I left. I watched from afar last year and they went very close, deserved to go up really.

“The personell we’ve got is fantastic, some real quality in there and they work together very well as a team as well.”

Club insiders have dismissed reports linking Brighton-born former Albion schoolboy reject Russell Martin with a return from Norwich.

Boss Chris Hughton is looking to sign another centre-half and also wants extra cover at full-back.