Albion have partially solved their defensive injury crisis by capturing young Wolves centre half Keith Lowe on a month's loan.

Manager Mark McGhee has also revealed that attention has now switched to Hull's Ben Burgess in the hunt for a goalscoring target man.

Lowe, 20, arrives on the South Coast this evening. He will feature in a match behind closed doors at Crawley on Wednesday night and will make his debut for the Seagulls in Saturday's League One opener at Rotherham.

Albion need a right-sided central defender because Adam Hinshelwood is out with a knee injury sustained in last week's friendly at Colchester.

Hinshelwood faces a scope to assess the full extent of the problem after a scan revealed cartilage damage.

Lowe played against relegated Albion twice in the Championship last season, in August during a three-month loan stint with Burnley and again at the end of the campaign for Wolves following further loan spells at Queens Park Rangers and Swansea.

McGhee said: "It's initially for a month. We'll see how he does and then the opportunity is there for him to extend or even better if he shapes up.

"I spoke to Steve Cotterill (Burnley manager) and he did well for them. He's a fairly orthodox head it away and boot it away centre half, no frills, no messing, which is fine."

McGhee still wants another centre half as cover for back injury victim Guy Butters but his interest in QPR's Ian Evatt has cooled.

Evatt turned down an invitation to play in Albion's 4-1 friendly defeat at MK Dons on Friday night, even though he is thought to be lacking in fitness.

Meanwhile, Burgess has emerged as Albion's top striker target after Preston's Danny Dichio rejected a move from Preston, Neil Shipperley chose to stay put at Sheffield United and Peter Thorne's injury history discouraged the Seagulls from pursuing their interest in the Norwich front man.

Albion's hopes of landing Burgess, preferably on a free transfer, hinge on whether the 24-year-old Irishman has impressed Phil Parkinson since the former Colchester manager took charge at Hull.

McGhee said: "We've been trying to get him since the start of pre-season. He's under contract and Phil said to me at that stage he wanted to keep him so that he could see him.

"I don't know whether Phil is happy with him or is going to let him go."

Burgess, formerly with Blackburn and Brentford, scored against Albion in a 2-0 defeat at the KC Stadium at the start of last season.

The centre of the defence and attack are not the only areas McGhee is still eager to strengthen.

Ex-Newcastle winger Martin Brittain, currently on trial, is likely to be offered only a short-term deal at best after disappointing on Friday, while McGhee also wants a passing central midfielder.

Reiterating his warning to the squad following the MK Dons debacle, he said: "It's a stronger message than I would normally put out but the gloves are off.

"We cannot afford passengers, so people either shape up or they will be shipped out."

Fans have the opportunity to quiz McGhee, chairman Dick Knight and chief executive Martin Perry at a forum at Withdean on Thursday from 7-8pm.