Bobby Zamora is "worth £2 million of anybody's money" according to a former top defender.

Tony Gale rates the Seagulls' 18-goal ace as one of the hottest prospects outside the Premiership. Gale, 41, a pundit with Capital Gold Radio, watched Zamora add to his tally at Brentford last week.

He said: "It's the first time I have seen him and I thought he was very good.

"There is more to him than scoring goals. He has excellent control for a big lad.

"He has got to improve physically, which he will do with age, then he will be able to use his body more.

"Being left footed certainly makes a difference as well. I've seen a few players in the lower leagues this season and he is probably one of the best.

"I am talking about the First, Second and Third Divisions as well. There are experienced players coming down the leagues, but not many youngsters around Bobby's age coming up.

"It will be very hard for Micky (Adams) to hold onto him."

Albion rejected a £1.2 million bid for Zamora from promotion rivals Cardiff before Christmas.

Gale said: "I think that was right. If Micky holds on he will be worth £2 million of anyone's money. The longer Brighton hold onto him the more chance they will have of going up.

"I would like to see him stay at least a season. He looks like he is enjoying it.

"He is willing to work for the team and for the other boys."

Adams said earlier this season that Zamora was better at the same age than his old Southampton team-mate Alan Shearer.

Ex-Blackburn, West Ham and Fulham stopper Gale has the distinction of being the only man to have played first team football with Shearer plus three other greats, Bobby Moore, George Best and former Albion boss Liam Brady.

Gale said: "I would have to disagree slightly with Micky. I also played against Alan at that age and he was physically more mature.

"Bobby probably has as much talent but not the same werewithal. Obviously though Micky worked closely with Alan then, so it's a glowing reference.

"He is a great talent and there are not many of them around at the moment when you look down the leagues.

"Bobby should be treated like gold dust, or should that be Goldstone!"

Zamora, who was 20 on Tuesday, has given Albion a boost by pledging his future to their promotion push.

He said: "I've got a contract for another three years and I would just like to get Brighton into the Second Division.

"If anything happens from there it's up to the gaffer and chairman, but I am quite happy here.

"My main focus this season is to get Brighton promoted.

"Some of our football has definitely easily been Second Division standard and maybe even First at times.

"I don't see any reason why we couldn't go up consecutively. Rotherham are proving it can be done."

Zamora knows from painful experience things could still go wrong for the Seagulls.

His old club Bristol Rovers led the Second Division in March yet missed out on promotion altogether.

He said: "There is such a long time to go and anything can happen.

"I saw it at Bristol Rovers. They were first or second and they ended up not even getting in the play-offs."