ALBION are on the verge of adding Steele to their goalkeeping options.

The Seagulls are close to signing relegated Sunderland’s Jason Steele, The Argus understands.

A fee has been agreed with the Black Cats for the 27-year-old, who is under contract at the Stadium of Light until 2021.

Talks over personal terms are proceeding with a view to clinching Steele’s capture within the next 24 hours.

Albion are on the lookout for two keepers as back-up for established No.1 Mathew Ryan, as Tim Krul and Niki Maenpaa are both leaving in search of more regular game time.

Former England under-21 international Steele, with more than 250 appearances behind him in the Championship for Sunderland, Blackburn and Middlesbrough, will fill one of the vacancies.

Steele, who was also part of the GB squad for the 2012 London Olympics, is keen to get his career back on track following successive relegations with Blackburn – where he played behind Albion central defender Shane Duffy – and Sunderland.

He joined Sunderland last summer on a four-year deal for around £500,000 after Rovers went down to League One.

He lost his place initially to Robbin Ruiter and again when Lee Camp joined on loan.

A loan move for Steele to Derby collapsed in January before a successful return to the Sunderland side which dropped into League One towards the end of the season.

Fulham’s David Button has also been on Albion’s radar in the revision of their goalkeeping group under the jurisdiction of coach Ben Roberts.

Steele is familiar to Roberts. Both were born near Darlington and Durham and Middlesbrough were their first clubs.

The Argus revealed yesterday that Ryan is likely to miss several Premier League matches in January due to Australia’s involvement in the Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates.