Russell Slade’s first task as Albion’s permanent manager will be to resolve the futures of 22 players.

The Seagulls have 16 players out-of-contract and Joel Lynch has been on loan at Nottingham Forest.

Slade must also decide whether to make a move for one or more of the five loan signings who ended the season with the club.

He will ponder his options during a family holiday in Cornwall this week, while most of the first team squad are on an end-of-season break abroad.

Slade said: “I will use the week to reflect on the last eight weeks, and come to some tough decisions, but I will be back in Brighton next week to finalise the retained list and begin our preparations for next season.”

Player-of-the-season Andrew Whing is sure to be offered a new deal but Slade faces more difficult decisions with others heavily involved in the late rally to avoid relegation, like long-serving Gary Hart, Tommy Fraser and Doug Loft.

He has not seen much of Adam Hinshelwood or Kerry Mayo, because of injuries, and Jake Robinson has been on loan to Aldershot.

Others such as Seb Carole, Chris Birchall and Jason Jarrett seem certain to be released.

The out-of-contract list is completed by cover goalkeeper John Sullivan, striker Sam Gargan and first year pros Kane Louis, Andy Pearson, Dan Royce and Kane Wills.

Forest are keen to buy Lynch, who has two years remaining on his contract.

The loan signings most likely to attract interest from Slade are increasingly influential Stockport midfielder Gary Dicker and Cheltenham striker Lloyd Owusu, whose six goals in six games took Albion to the verge of safety.

Calvin Andrew has gone back to Crystal Palace with a knee injury sustained in the closing victory against Stockport on Saturday, in which QPR leftback Gary Borrowdale deputised again for kidney victim Jim McNulty.

Al Bangura’s midfield appearances on loan from Watford were limited by injuries and illness.

Albion’s escape from relegation has saved them more than £180,000 in lost revenue as part of the Football League pay-out next season. The financial gap between the Seagulls in League One and Championship clubs will widen from around £600,000 to more than £1.7 million as a result of the new TV deal.