Albion have turned down a bid from Championship rivals Cardiff City for Craig Noone.

The Welsh club are believed to have offered around £400,000 for the talented winger.

That falls way below the Seagulls’ valuation of a player they are determined to hold onto.

They are reluctant to sell Noone to another Championship club at any price.

Noone has become a key player for Albion since signing from Plymouth Argyle for £250,000 a year ago.

The 24-year-old Liverpudlian’s dribbling skills and weaving runs have turned him into a firm favourite with fans at The Amex.

Albion last night refused to confirm Cardiff’s interest in Noone. Managing director Ken Brown told The Argus: “We are not prepared to comment on transfer speculation."

Their stance is the same as it was during the 2011 January transfer window when Norwich, who like Cardiff were chasing promotion from the Championship, were knocked back in their persistent attempts to buy winger Elliott Bennett.

The Canaries eventually bought Bennett for £1.5 million in the summer, after they had secured promotion to the Premier League and he had helped Albion to the League One title.

Noone is sidelined from today’s FA Cup tie at home to Wrexham. He has been in Germany for treatment on a hamstring injury sustained in last Saturday’s defeat at Coventry.