Albion are being priced out of loans moves for players with a Premier League pedigree like Wayne Bridge.

Manager Gus Poyet is keen to add more top flight experience to his squad to supplement Spanish star Vicente but wages are a stumbling block for the Seagulls.

Former England and Chelsea left-back Bridge has fallen out of contention at Manchester City.

Poyet told The Argus: “The problem with Wayne Bridge is the salary. We are always interested in players that have played in the Premiership, because we have only Vicente and we are playing mostly against teams that have someone.

“But the gap between what we pay and what they earn is from another world.”

Bridge is reportedly on £90,000 a week, well beyond Albion’s reach unless City were prepared to fund the vast majority of his wages. Poyet said: “We cannot even pay ten per cent of that.”

Meanwhile, Albion have reluctantly voted for controversial changes to the academy system which could lead to Premier League clubs snapping up young talent for a fraction of the cost.

The Seagulls were among the Football League clubs who voted 46-22 in favour of the Elite Player Performance Plan driven by the Premier League giants at a meeting in Walsall yesterday.

Under the existing tribunal system the buying and selling clubs have to justify their valuation of the player before a fee is decided.

Under the EPPP there will be a fixed tariff, based on how long a player has been at the selling club. For nine to 11-year-old’s it is £3,000 a year and from 12 to 16 will range from £12,500 to £40,000, depending on the club’s academy status.

The EPPP will introduce a four-tier academy system and guarantees every club will receive an increase in funding for their youth development for four years, with the amount determined by their academy status.

The Premier League had threatened to withdraw more than £5 million of solidarity payments they give to lower league clubs each year for youth development if the vote went against them.

Albion recently announced plans for a new training ground and academy near Shoreham Airport.

Managing director Ken Brown, the club’s representative at yesterday’s meeting, revealed: “We thought long and hard about it and in the end voted with the majority.

“It was a very difficult decision to make, looking ahead to our own ambitions but also being mindful of what is best for the Football League in general.

“We have ambitions for training facilities and academy status and will be working towards that, identifying our own talent. This just makes it a bit harder.”