Albion boss Steve Coppell believes Paul Brooker could become a supersub in the Premiership for Leicester.

Brooker is expected to complete his dream switch to the Foxes this week on a two-year contract.

Micky Adams' move to re-sign on a free transfer the winger he brought to Albion three years ago after taking him on as an apprentice at Fulham has shocked Seagulls supporters but not Coppell.

"He can take players on and beat them on a postage stamp," said the former Manchester United and England wide man. "He doesn't need a lot of space.

"If I was Micky Adams, and he knows Paul better than me, I would probably be looking at him in the short term as a helluva fella to have on the bench.

"He could come on and cause havoc in the last ten to 15 minutes. I encouraged him to do that and not to fear losing the ball."

Coppell was resigned to losing the out-of-contract Brooker before The Argus revealed last month that he was Leicester-bound and the player broke his silence in an exclusive interview on Saturday.

"Having had discussions with him at the end of the season I three-quarters expected it, so he has been a little bit out of my thinking anyway," Coppell said.

"I haven't made contact with him. What's going to happen is going to happen.

"His mind is made up from what he has said and it is no contest.

"If he has got the chance of playing in the Premiership he has to take it."

Striker Paul Kitson, released by Coppell at the end of the season, is being linked with a move to the Seagulls' Second Division rivals Chesterfield as Roy McFarland's first signing on a pay-as-you-play basis.

Kitson was snapped up by former Albion manager Martin Hinshelwood last August to partner Bobby Zamora but injuries restricted the ex-West Ham marksman to seven full appearances.

Zamora is not expected to be in the starting line-up tonight for the England under-21-s in their European Championship qualifier against Slovakia at the Stadium of Light.

David Platt will stick with West Ham's Jermain Defoe and Newcastle's Shola Ameobi up front after playing Zamora out of position on the left side of midfield in last week's friendly against Serbia and Montenegro.

More from the camp at thisisthealbion.co.uk