Albion boss Steve Coppell has made a goalscoring striker his top priority, to partner or replace Bobby Zamora.

He wants more firepower with or without his England under-21 spearhead, who continues to be a transfer target for Premiership clubs.

Coppell, fresh from agreeing a new one-year contract, revealed: "Without doubt we need strikers. There is an element of uncertainty about Bobby and we need to supplement the squad.

"We probably need a minimum of three players altogether. Two strikers have got to have the intention of scoring 40 goals between them in the Second Division."

Zamora is wanted by Leicester, Spurs and Charlton but Albion have to factor into the asking price the 30 per cent due to his former club Bristol Rovers.

"For Bobby to go somebody has got to want to buy him and they have to make a realistic offer, because of the built in percentage which goes to Bristol Rovers," Coppell said.

"It would be pointless selling him below a certain price because there would be no gain in it for us.

"If nobody makes that offer then I can only presume he is not going. Bobby might not like that but it's a fact of life.

"He has been tremendous for Brighton but he has also got to appreciate the club's position. Everyone would love to see him play in the Premiership but Dick Knight's responsibility is to protect the club's interests."

Coppell would like to keep out-of-contract trio Simon Rodger, Dean Blackwell and Dave Beasant, but his resources are restricted.

He said: "I will speak with them over the next couple of days. I have a limited budget which excludes them.

"If I re-sign them then that is taken from the portion of the pie specifically for new players. I think all three will probably wait to see if they get a better offer elsewhere.

"I would like all of them to stay. That would make us a firm squad, but we have also got to improve elsewhere. It's a juggling act between finance and the players I want."

Former Albion pair John Robinson and Anthony Rougier, released by Charlton and Reading respectively, have been confirmed by Coppell as possible targets.

"Both are very interesting names to consider, but it is trying to fit all the names into the portion of the pie which is left.

"If I can afford them I will take them. Both would be huge assets, but my priorities may lay elsewhere at the moment."