French winger Sebastien Carole revealed today why he is happy to trade the Champions League with Monaco for the Championship with Albion.

The 22-year-old from the northern suburbs of Paris has been lured to the south coast by the prospect of regular first team football.

The Seagulls have signed Carole on a free transfer and awarded him a two-year contract following a successful week-long trial. The move brings to an end his eight-year association with Monaco.

"I was on the bench for Monaco in the Champions League against PSV Eindhoven and Deportivo La Coruna and I played against AEK Athens," said Carole.

"Monaco are a big team in France, like Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea over here.

"They have big stars. It's a little bit difficult for a young player to play in every game there but I think a young player needs to play every week."

Carole is not completely new to English football. He was loaned to West Ham for six months a couple of seasons ago and coincidentally played against Albion's opponents today, Crewe.

"We won 4-2 at West Ham," he said. "That could be lucky for Brighton."

Albion will not have the option of turning the year-long loan from Rennes of Carole's goalkeeping compatriot Florent Chaigneau into a permanent deal.

Manager Mark McGhee revealed: "We tried to do a deal with them where by we might be able to take him permanently. They weren't prepared to do that, because they want him back.

"Florent has a fantastic pedigree as the French under-21 goalkeeper and back-up to Petr Cech when he was at Rennes. He's wanted by them. He's here to gain experience with a view to going back there next year into their first team."

McGhee says re-signing former loan keeper Alan Blayney from Southampton is "out of the equation" for the time being unless Albion run into problems with current No. 1 Wayne Henderson and the recovery of Michel Kuipers.

Henderson can be recalled from his loan spell by Aston Villa, while shoulder victim Kuipers has not played since January.

Meanwhile, Chris McPhee has been assured his month on loan to Aldershot does not signal the end of the young striker's Albion career.

McGhee said: "Chris needs games. He still has a future here, he is a good player. I think he should be going on loan to a League club, but he maybe hasn't got enough of a reputation.

"I hope he will go to Aldershot for a month, score half-a-dozen goals, then a League club will take him for a month or two and he will come back here more able to go on the bench."