Albion have signed the defensive equivalent of Peter Crouch.

And Dan Burn is aiming to heighten the goals tally from set pieces when he launches his career with the Seagulls in January.

Burn completed his move from Wigan yesterday for around £3 million before instantly returning to the Championship club until January as he recovers from a broken foot bone suffered in a friendly against Glasgow Rangers.

The Geordie giant is 6ft 7ins tall, the same size as Stoke and ex-England striker Crouch (below).

The Argus: Burn told The Argus: "If I could score as many goals as him I'd be happy! And if I could play in as many Premier League games I'd take that.

"Last year was my best goalscoring season. I got six and I still think I should be getting more than that with my height.

"I know Shane (Duffy) over the years has scored quite a few goals and Lewis (Dunk) has. I think it was just one of those things (last season). If one of the lads gets one or two they normally keep coming.

"When they are not going in for a while the belief goes. I'm sure they will be fine this season."

Newcastle fan Burn had to get used to playground mickey-taking when he was growing up fast.

He said: "Members of my family are not particularly tall. I was tall until about 11 or 12, then everyone caught up with me.

"I shot up again towards the end of school and never really stopped.

"There was the normal school banter. It was more when I came into football the first few years. I was quite gangly, like a baby giraffe, but I am out of that now.

"The last couple of years is the first time when I've really filled into my body. I'm skinny now, but I was very skinny before that.

"I think now I've reached the point where I'm definitely not growing any more."

Burn, 26, had his damaged foot encased in a protective boot as he sat and talked about his hopes with the Seagulls at the training complex in Lancing before heading back to the north-west to link up again with Albion keeper Christian Walton (below), who has rejoined Wigan on loan.

The Argus: He admitted: "It is a bit unusual to go back to Wigan on loan until January. It is very strange, but it could help in a way. By the time I get back in January I'll be match fit.

"I'll hopefully have played quite a few games, so when I am here I will be ready to go, whereas if I had been here I would still have been looking at a little bit of time on the sidelines injury wise and then I would have had to try to get back up to speed, possibly play a couple of games in the (Carabao) Cup before I was ready to really help.

"So I suppose I'm not really losing many games in that way. Touch wood the players playing at the moment, Lewis and Shane, can stay fit. I think it's a good move for everyone."

Burn, who began his career at Darlington in League Two and the Conference, already has some Premier League experience with Fulham (below).

The Argus: He had loan spells with Yeovil in League One and Birmingham in the Championship during five years at Craven Cottage before joining Wigan.

They were relegated in his first season, so it was been a long road back to the top flight.

"The further you move away from the Premier League it's not easy, but I always believed I had the ability to play in the Premier League," Burn said.

"I had quite a good season when we got relegated, but the fact I had a relegation on my CV didn't help.

"I was happy to get back to the Championship with a view that it was the last year of my contract and anything could happen and I might be able to get there, but as soon as I knew Brighton were interested I was desperate to be here. I told the manager I was really looking forward to coming here."

Burn faces a tall order dislodging Dunk, Duffy or fellow newcomer Leon Balogun, but he had a taste of the high life at Fulham and he wants more.

He said: "I played most of the big teams, Manchester United at Old Trafford, Arsenal at the Emirates was my debut.

"I didn't really have time to think about it, I got thrown in. I came back on loan from Birmingham on the first of Jan and then I was playing the week after.

"I didn't appreciate it as much. Now I am here I am hungry and I want to stay here and prove to everyone that I can play at this level.

"At Fulham I was coming through. I was a young kid so I was a little bit protected, I sort of got away with it. Now I know I am going to be judged on my performances. I keep telling people I deserve to be here, so I've got to go out and prove it."