Andrew Whing's immediate future is back up in the air after he returned from a loan spell at Leyton Orient.

But Albion have secured two of their development squad prospects for the rest of the season.

Yaser Kasim and Ryan Simmonds have had deals which were due to expire this month extended while French full-back Luc Matutu has been told he can go.

Whing has just spent two months with the O’s, whose boss Russell Slade had indicated he might be keen to take him back for the rest of the season.

Albion manager Gus Poyet wants to help Whing get regular action but said: “I’m not sure what happens now with him because it looked for a moment as if he was not coming back.”

Poyet wants to see more of former Spurs midfielder Kasim and ex-Villa youngster Simmonds.

The Seagulls boss watched most of yesterday’s 3-1 reserve team win over Crawley and was hugely impressed by Kasim in a deep-lying role.

Poyet expects to know this morning whether on-loan Chris Wood will be available for FA Cup action on Saturday but has played down talk his side are favourites to beat Portsmouth.

He said: “That’s not realistic. Of course the FA Cup is always a risk for the bigger team, as we found out in the earlier rounds.

“But I’ve been watching Portsmouth a bit and they have quality players who were in the Premiership last season.”