Alexis Nicolas admitted today the time could be right for him to leave Chelsea and join Albion for good.

The on-loan midfielder is considering the offer of a permanent move to the Seagulls by manager Mark McGhee.

Nicolas has indicated the attraction of regular first team football is likely to sway his decision in Albion's favour.

The 21-year-old has played in every game since joining the Seagulls on a three-month loan at the start of the season.

At Chelsea he has made just one Premiership start and one sub appearance in three years, and they were under Claudio Ranieri who has been replaced at Stamford Bridge by Jose Mourinho.

"It's something I really need to just finalise with the manager (Mourinho), but I can safely say I want to be playing first team football," Nicolas said.

"At a club like Chelsea, especially the way it is now, that will definitely be restricted. Realistically I have to seriously consider that and that's what I am doing. Maybe this is the move I need.

"It's flattering that Brighton want to keep me. I like it here. I am happy with the club and the manager and I don't see why it can't be permanent.

"There are still a lot of things to be sorted out. It's not just me involved, Chelsea and Brighton are involved as well.

"If everything can come together and I think it will be a good move then I don't see why it won't go ahead."

McGhee hopes to tie up a deal by Saturday's home game against Sheffield United. Nicolas, who still has more than a month of his loan left, is not sure if everything will be finalised by then.

"It's really hard for me to say, because it is something that is a bit out of my hands," said the former Aston Villa trainee.

"There is a lot of stuff to be sorted out with a lot of different people. If it's done by the weekend and everyone is happy then it's done, if it is not time is on our side.

"All I can say is I am happy here and I like the club. They are good people and the fans are great. Anyone with an offer to come here has got to be chuffed with that, because it is a great set-up."

McGhee makes no secret of his admiration for the Cypriot under-21 international.

"He's been a fixture in the team and that says it all. He is improving week in and week out and I think he has got a good future.

"He is not only a player in the mould of Charlie Oatway, who gets the ball back for you, he also retains the ball very well.

"He has a terrific little engine and attitude. He quietly goes about his job and he has been really important for us so far this season.

"The boy himself is modest and unassuming. He loves Chelsea, he loved being there and I am sure he will be very disappointed to leave, but he wants to be a footballer more than he wants to be a Chelsea player. That is the important thing for us."

Nicolas is looking forward to joining forces again with Richard Carpenter in the centre of midfield at Nottingham Forest tonight.

They played together for the first time in Saturday's 1-0 win at Gillingham following Carpenter's recovery from close-season knee surgery.

"All the boys I have played with in the centre of midfield this season have been good for different reasons," Nicolas said. "Richard really just brings that experience to me and helps me.

"I am young and Richard has done it. He has seen it all and been there. He knows how to cope with it. I'd like to think I can help him in certain ways as well."

Nicolas typifies the growing belief in the camp that Albion can go to places like Forest and triumph. The victory at Gillingham stretched their unbeaten away run to three matches after beating Leicester and drawing at Watford.

"It was a massive lift," Nicolas said. "We knew it was disappointing to lose at home against Queens Park Rangers, so we had to go to Gillingham and get three points.

"It's got to the stage now where we were expecting to get a result. We obviously had to work hard for it, but we have every confidence in ourselves that we can go on and get a lot more results.

"I personally fancy our chances anywhere. We don't really look at where the other team are in the table and judge them by that. Forest are a massive club and they beat West Ham the other day, who are near the top.

"In this league everyone can beat anyone, but I feel confident enough that we can got to any place in the country in this league and get a result.

"It's going to be a hard game, but if we appoach it right then hopefully we will come away with the points."