Albion boss Chris Hughton says his squad rebuilding may not be completed in time for the first game of the season against Nottingham Forest.

Hughton is halfway through his summer shopping list after signing four players, with Forest’s visit to the Amex on August 7 looming into view.

The Seagulls are close to expanding their development ranks but the ongoing quest to add a first team centre-half and more attacking options, including a striker and winger, could spill over into the rest of the transfer window, which shuts on September 1.

Hughton told The Argus: “I hope not but I am also conscious we are only two and a bit weeks away from the Forest game.

“We have been able, with the group that we have got, to do some good work and everybody has come back in good shape and we’ve had minimal injuries, which is very good.

“But of course it’s difficult to get everything done in the next two weeks or so. We’re certainly trying.

“We’re working as hard as we can and the ability to bring players in is not just about what we want.

“It’s about the demand, players making up their mind and, if it is a player associated to a club, them as well.

“In an ideal world you would only want to bring in about three or four but when you consider we lost eight at the end of last season it’s bigger numbers to fill.

“We are the same as everybody. We’d like to get it done early but it is very difficult to do that. We’ve brought four in at this stage and some perhaps haven’t brought that many in but we’re not shying away from the fact that we still need to bring bodies in to improve the squad.”

Skipper Gordon Greer (adductor) remains sidelined from tonight’s friendly at Crawley (7.45pm) and Sunday’s trip to Aberdeen along with Jake Forster-Caskey, who missed Saturday’s game at Lewes with a sore knee sustained in training.

Hughton hopes the pair will be available for next Wednesday’s warm-up at Gillingham and says Andrew Crofts is “another week or so” away from his return as Albion ease him back from long-term knee damage.

Development squad signing Joe Ward scored one and forced an own goal as Albion under-21s won 4-2 at Enfield last night. Jayson Molumby and Ben Barclay also netted.