Albion are aiming for three established goalkeepers in the Premier League.

One of them will definitely be Niki Maenpaa, another could well be Australian international Maty Ryan.

While Finnish shot-stopper Maenpaa is said by a well-placed source to be very close to staying for a third season, the Seagulls are stepping up their pursuit of Valencia's Ryan.

Club officials are believed to have flown to Valencia yesterday to cement their interest in the 25-year-old.

Albion are not waiting on a resolution to the contract stand-off involving current No.1 David Stockdale to get their plans into place.

Stockdale has turned down the club's offer of a new deal. If he leaves then Albion will bring in another senior keeper.

Either way, 21-year-old Christian Walton will be sent out on loan again to further his development.

Ryan, meanwhile, is already well-travelled.

Born in Plumpton in New South Wales rather than East Sussex, he played in Australia for Blacktown City and Central Coast Mariners before joining Club Brugge in Belgium in 2013.

Ryan was still a teenager when Valencia awarded him a six-year contract in the summer of 2015.

He made 20 appearances in La Liga, the Copa Del Rey (Spanish Cup) and Europa League in his debut campaign at the Mestalla, playing regularly under Gary Neville (below) during the ex-England and Manchester United defender's ill-fated four-month reign.

The Argus: Neville kept faith after Ryan conceded seven goals against Barcelona at the Nou Camp. He retained his place against Real Betis four days later and finished the season conceding goals by Marcus Rashford and Wayne Rooney playing for his country in a 2-1 friendly defeat against England at Sunderland's Stadium of Light.

Neville had gone by then and Ryan's first team opportunities dried up as he dropped behind Diego Alves and Jaume Domenech in the pecking order.

He played only twice for Valencia at the start of last season before returning to Belgium in January on loan to Racing Genk.

Regular game time with Genk in the Belgian First Division and Europa League, including a run of five domestic clean sheets in succession, has revitalised the 6ft Ryan's reputation as an agile, confident and communicative keeper with accurate distribution.

Former Middlesbrough striker Mikkel Beck, now Ryan's representative, told Australian channel SBS last month: "With Maty doing so well for Genk, there are clubs starting to show interest.

"He was a bit rusty at first because he hadn't played much in half a year but now he's just getting better with each game and is back to top form.

"He's a top goalkeeper and when everybody sees him doing it week by week, they are going to come calling.

"What Maty wants is to be somewhere where he is playing, and his ambition and plan is to make that happen in Spain with Valencia. The Spanish league is the best in the world, and it's where he wants to test himself.

"If that is not possible, then it's a case of 'where should we go then?' Mat's an all-round goalkeeper who can play anywhere, including England of course."

The Argus: Beck (above left) was more circumspect when The Argus contacted him yesterday, commenting only that: "Maty is under contract with Valencia for another four seasons, so I can't and won't comment on possible interest from other clubs."

Ryan's fluctuating fortunes at club level have not affected his standing as Australia's No.1, a position he has held for the last four years in succession to his boyhood idol Mark Schwarzer.

He was ever-present in the 2014 World Cup and was named best goalkeeper at the 2015 Asian Cup, won by Australia on home soil.

Ryan already has a UK passport and his Scottish-born mother, Carol, has given up her job Down Under to travel with him during a key period in his career.

He has an important World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia in Adelaide on Thursday, a friendly against Brazil in Melbourne next Tuesday and the FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia before heading for Wimbledon with his mother and older sister, Megan.

They have centre court tickets supplied by Belgian former world No.1 Kim Clijsters, who became a friend when Ryan played for Club Brugge.

By then he could be centre stage with Albion, preparing for their Premier League debut.