BOSS Chris Hughton has labelled pace through the centre of his striking options as the missing link in Albion’s Premier League squad.

The Seagulls have been targeting speed through the middle to trouble defences, even before drawing a blank in their first two games against Manchester City and Leicester.

That is their main aim before the transfer window closes at the end of the month after signing up Colombian left-winger Jose Izquierdo as their £13.5 million record buy from Brugge.

Hughton told The Argus: “You have to try to get a nice balance. There’s no doubting we’ve got good quality in the squad. Probably that (pace through the centre) is the one area – or type of player – that’s missing from what we have.

“Certainly Izquierdo will give us good pace in wide areas but that is probably the type of player we are missing.”

The Argus website revealed on Saturday that Albion have made a seven-figure bid for Cardiff’s Danish striker Kenneth Zohore.

The powerful 23-year-old is on a list of forwards of similar calibre, which includes Everton’s Oumar Niasse. The Seagulls have also been interested in Ghanaian striker Raphael Dwamena from FC Zurich.

Reports that Tomer Hemed, a substitute in the 2-0 defeat at Leicester, is a makeweight in the ongoing attempts to land Zohore are thought to be wide of the mark.

Two fresh bids for the Israeli from other Championship clubs have been rejected, one of them Reading.

Izquierdo will make his debut in the Carabao Cup against Barnet at the Amex tomorrow night.

Meanwhile, Albion will check on Glenn Murray, who was recalled to the starting line-up to lead the line at Leicester in place of Hemed.

Murray eventually hobbled off in the second half after two knocks to the same ankle.

Steve Sidwell, absent from the squad with a minor back problem, is expected to be available for Saturday’s trip to Watford.