Roberto De Zerbi makes fresh Brighton transfer assessment ahead of January window deadline

Just over a month ago, head coach De Zerbi said Albion need players in "three or four positions” as their absentee list grew and grew – often reaching double figures in the first half of the season.

However, the fact that Joel Veltman, Ansu Fati, Igor Julio, Kaoru Mitoma, Simon Adingra, and Julio Enciso are expected to be back from injury next month, with Tariq Lamptey fit to make the squad for the Wolves game on Monday night, the Italian has struck a different tone when asked about potential recruits before the January transfer window shuts on February 1.

When asked about the possibility of more signings this month, he said on Sunday: "I don't know. It's not a question that I can answer. We have to analyse the conditions of the injuries very well, how much time they need [to recover] and then we take the best decision for the club."

Keeping a squad happy is a fine balance. Sign too many players and that can lead to dissatisfaction. Moreover, the fact that players out on loan have not been recalled suggests Brighton may not bring in any more players after signing Valentin Barco from Boca Juniors this month.

However, if Albion want to go deep in Europe and challenge in the Premier League, more quality additions are likely to make those goals more realistic.