Albion boss Steve Coppell is worried about losing unsettled goal ace Bobby Zamora close to the start of the season.

The Seagulls have already turned down an undisclosed offer from Tottenham for the England under-21 striker.

The Premiership transfer window is open until the end of August but Coppell would rather have Zamora sold now than near to the Second Division kick-off on August 9.

"My worry is losing him a week before the season or a week into the season," Coppell said.

"From my point of view if he's got to be sold then I would prefer him to be sold quickly, but we can't control that. Somebody has got to make an offer.

"I know Tottenham have made an offer. People might say the chairman is pricing him out of the market but the chairman has never said to me if I was offered X I would take it.

"He's just said I am trying to do the best I can for my club. I think everyone would say the offer Tottenham made was unacceptable and that's the way it has been left. The club have got to give 30 per cent to Bristol Rovers.

"It was a flat offer. There were no incentives, bits and bobs, sell-ons, nothing. It was just a fee and that was half down and half in 12 months time, so it's not as if you could have a steady income coming in during the course of the season to help. It was not a goer."

Zamora will not be reporting back on Monday with the rest of the squad for pre-season training.

Coppell has given him an extra fortnight off to recover from his England under-21 exertions.

"I've given Bobby another couple of weeks off, because he just needs it, and when he comes back I think I know what frame of mind he will be in.

"He will be quite keen to get away if possible, but Tottenham have now made a major investment in a Portugese player (Helder Postiga) and as far as I am aware theirs was the only concrete interest.

"He played until the middle of June and I don't worry about Bobby's fitness anyway. What he needs is a month away from football, just to get his mind fresh.

"I'm critical of some of these end of season tours. I just felt it was unnecessary the length of what was involved.

"If I was David Platt (England under- 21 coach) I would probably want to do the same, but as a club manager with a player who's had a tough season then I know that wasn't the best for him."

Albion have added a friendly at Barnet on July 26 to their first team fixtures.

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