Albion boss Gus Poyet has played down speculation linking the Seagulls with a loan swoop for Sunderland's out-of-favour Northern Ireland international striker David Healy.

Poyet insists he had no plans to make a move for Healy, a player he worked with at Leeds, but has hinted that situation could change.

He told The Argus: "I was in the dressing room yesterday at Withdean and Gordon Greer had a newspaper and said I was in there. I thought what have I done and then saw the situation with David.

"I think people put two and two together - a player who is not playing, who was playing with Northern Ireland and we have been talking about a striker.

"I just feel sorry for Sunderland and for David, because it is not fair for them both that his name has come up without us even moving for him.

"It's a great shout. I absolutely love him as a player and a person and I have a great relationship with him. Is this going to make us get in touch with Sunderland or David? I don't know, I hope so, but he wasn't in our plans.

"With all respect to him, we have got another ten or 15 names. We have gone through all the names of players not playing in the Premiership where you think you won't have a chance, then you go down to the Championship and then you try to find out.

"We are trying to find out in a very respectful way, talking to the club first to see if it is an option, then talking to the player. This one has come out of the blue and everybody is calling me.

"Even people from Leeds are saying to take him and I am thinking wait, I haven't moved for him. We'll see, I would love to, no doubt."