Rinsola Babajide believes Brighton head coach Hope Powell can help her to achieve her ambition of playing for England.

The 23-year-old winger joined the Seagulls on a season-long from WSL Championship Liverpool yesterday.

Babajide has already been called up by England in September as part of a 30-player squad named by Lionesses manager at t he time, Phil Neville.

She has also represented England at U21 level and U18 level, where she was part of the squad which finished third in the under-20 World Cup in 2018.

But now she is hoping former Lionesses boss Powell can help her to break into the England squad.

She said: “I’ve got aspirations to play at the top of the game internationally. I feel like she could push me to be the best I can be and achieve my goals.”

Babajide scored six goals in the WSL Championship for the Reds last season and was also named at their player of the month in both November and December.

In January she wanted to leave Liverpool as she was keen to return to WSL football in order to push for England national team selection and had several offers for a loan move in the January transfer window.

But Babajide admitted it was a no brainer to join the Seagulls.

She said: “When I knew Brighton were interested in signing me it was a no-brainer.

“Especially with Hope being here and knowing the long-term plans the club have for progressing in the women’s game.

“I’m really looking forward to the challenge.”

She becomes Albion’s women second addition of the summer, following the arrival of club-record signing Danielle Carter from Reading.

With Albion have achieved their best-ever finish in the WSL last season and being in the Quarter final of the FA Cup, Powell is hoping Babajide and Carter can help them to kick on.

She said: “We achieved our highest WSL position and we’re in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, but we want to push on this season and get better.

“Any additions to our squad have got to add value to what we’ve got and in Danielle and Rinsola that is definitely the case.”