Ex-Brighton ace identifies Tony Bloom's 'missing piece' and makes Leandro Trossard transfer prediction

Cox, who made 146 appearances for Brighton before leaving for Leyton Orient in 2010, has been impressed by the football played this season but feels a striker is needed in order to reach the next level.

"He [De Zerbi] was left a very good footprint wasn't he,” said the 35-year-old who recently called time on his playing career after a brief stint at Worthing. “I think I could have gone in at that moment!

"Graham Potter certainly left the club in a fantastic place. It has changed a little bit but I think he [De Zerbi] will do alright. He has got such a good bunch of players.”

Leandro Trossard has been a key man for Albion this season and the Belgian international scored his seventh of the campaign as he opened the scoring in Brighton’s 4-1 win against Potter’s Chelsea at the Amex Stadium last Saturday. Trossard, 27, is playing the best football of his career and is a player Cox admires – but feels the Seagulls may struggle to keep hold of the former Genk man.

“I think Trossard may leave,” Cox added. “He has been linked with moving back with Graham at Chelsea – and Newcastle have also been linked. His form has been great. He has not signed a new deal but overall they play some great football.”

Albion are eighth in the Premier League and pushing for Europe under De Zerbi is a realistic target this season. Brighton face Wolves this Saturday and their final League match before the World Cup break is against Aston Villa at the Amex.

"The only thing missing is a 20-goal striker,” said Cox. “But easier said than done to go out and find them. They certainly cost a bit. They will finish in the top half of the table. If they can reach Europe, that will be great. But to do that they may need that striker.

"It depends what Tony (Bloom) wants to do. They have flirted with getting to the next step, and he has dug deep into his pocket – with the stadium, training ground and all that goes with that.

"But that [a striker] is the missing piece of the jigsaw. They are great to watch though and play some lovely stuff.”

Cox signed his first Brighton contract in 2005 and was a popular attacking midfielder for the Seagulls. He had loan stints with Eastbourne Borough and Bognor Regis and returned to fully establish himself in the Brighton first team. He left for Orient with former Albion boss Russell Slade and made 227 appearances for the Os, scoring an impressive 45 goals.

The Haywards Heath born player returned to Sussex in 2016 and had two seasons with Crawley before spells in non-league football with Burgess Hill Town, Eastbourne Borough and finally Worthing.

Cox is now looking to make his first steps into coaching and says working under the likes of Slade and ex-Albion boss and coach Dean Wilkins has inspired him.

“I had him [Slade] at Brighton for a year and then six years at Leyton Orient, so the majority has been with him. Fantastic man and fantastic man manager. Just an all-round top man that you can get on with.

"The door was always open and he was always giving you advice. Included everyone. There were certain managers that have their squad and if you are not in, then you are invisible. I certainly won't be doing that, when I'm a coach.

“You have to make everyone feel part of it. It's a squad game and when you have injuries illness and suspensions, you need a good squad that would fight for each other. He knew when to put an arm around and when to kick someone up the backside.

“I also had Dean Wilkins at Brighton who was a fantastic coach. He got the Brighton job but went off to Southampton with Nigel Adkins. He was fantastic and learned a lot from him coaching wise.

"A lot of his sessions I still use, so they were good and he was very proactive. I also had some managers that were more older school like Mark McGhee and Micky Adams. Then the up and comings were Harry Kewell and Russell Slade. I can use all those experiences.”