Albion's seemingly vain pursuit of Tammy Abraham is an example of the challenging transfer market confronting them as newcomers to the Premier League.

The Seagulls are fishing in a smaller pool than they were as a top-end club in the Championship.

Any player capable of catching the eye of the leading eight teams in the country will be way beyond them.

The group below that of clubs long-established in the top flight also have the advantage of far greater financial muscle, developed through years of lucrative TV payments, and a near-guarantee of avoiding a relegation fight.

Throw into the mix the often-inflated sums for young, domestic talent and the pool becomes even smaller.

Manager Chris Hughton outlined in yesterday's Argus the spiralling transfer fees, wages and financial demands filtering down from the mega-deals involving the elite.

Albion are not alone in facing an awkward environment in which to assemble a squad capable of competing and surviving. Reports in the North-East over recent days suggest that Rafa Benitez is becoming frustrated by Newcastle's failure so far to land targets.

The two sides that tussled for the Championship title last season appeared to be in a straight race to borrow Abraham, Chelsea's talented England under-21s striker, from Chelsea.

That was until Swansea, about to embark on a seventh successive season in the Premier League, entered the fray and the Abraham camp added a surprise demand.

Loan transfer fees are not uncommon nowadays. Chelsea are not asking for a fee, but Albion - much to their dismay - and Newcastle were told they would have to fork out an extra £1 million in respect of signing-on fees for the family and agent of a player reportedly set to sign a new £50,000-a-week contract at Stamford Bridge.

The Seagulls refuse to be held to ransom to land a young striker who offers huge potential but no guarantee of the goals they will need to survive at Premier League level.

The reputation of Abraham has soared primarily on the basis of one prolific season in the Championship on loan to Bristol City, for whom he scored 26 times.

Albion have to be smarter than most in their transfer dealings. They have never been in the Premier League and have consequently never benefited either from the TV bonanza or parachute payments for relegation.

They will be mindful of not compromising the dressing room unity which has played such a strong role in their rise with wage differentials which could provoke envy.

They are also keen to repay at least some part of the £250 million owner-chairman Tony Bloom has invested in the club.

It is no coincidence that the business they have done to date has been abroad rather than at home.

The first signing, German No.10 Pascal Gross from relegated Bundesliga outfit Ingolstadt, was snapped up for around £3 million.

Gross has considerably more high-level experience that Alex Pritchard, who Albion almost bought from Spurs last summer before Norwich snatched him for £8 million.

The Argus: The other signing so far, goalkeeper Maty Ryan (above), cost a club record fee in the region of £5 million.

The 25-year-old is a senior international for Australia and has played in La Liga and the Belgian first division.

Is England under-21 Jordan Pickford, bought by Everton from Sunderland for a £30 million package, really six times better?

Gross's former Ingolstadt team-mate Markus Suttner is also a target for around £2.2 million.

The 30-year-old left-back has played for Austria, in his country's top league and in the German Bundesliga.

An English defender with an equivalent pedigree would be considerably more expensive.

Liverpool are in no rush to agree the loan destination for another target, promising right-back and central defender Joe Gomez (below right).

The Argus: Albion still have a handful of positions to fill - another goalkeeper, two full-backs, a central midfielder, a striker and possibly another winger.

They are staying calm. The transfer window does not close until almost three weeks after Manchester City visit the Amex for the opening fixture.

Shortly after the window shuts, Hughton will have to name the 25-man squad charged with the responsibility - at least until January - of preserving Albion's hard-earned status.