Albion sign Metz winger

Brighton have completed their transfer deadline day swoop for Alexandre Frutos.

Brighton have completed their transfer deadline day swoop for Metz midfielder Alexandre Frutos.

The 23-year-old left winger has penned a two-year deal after joining The Seagulls on a free transfer.

"I am very happy to be here and I will do my best for my new club," Frutos told the club's official website. "Brighton is a nice town, my wife is coming with me, so I am happy.

"I have done my preparations at Metz, I am ready and I want to play in the next match."

Frutos, who is expected to make his Brighton debut at Leeds on Saturday, made 65 appearances for Metz but spent last season on loan at Chateauroux, scoring two goals in 26 appearances for the Ligue 2 side.

Frutos played alongside Albion winger Sebastian Carole at Chateauroux and manager Mark McGhee is hoping that his new signing will make a similar impact to the one enjoyed by his fellow Frenchman.

"Alex has the same sort of quality as Seb," said McGhee.

"He's slightly different - more of a straight line runner than total footballer like Seb tends to be - but we hope he's going to give us another dimension.

"I said at the start of the season when we signed Colin Kazim-Richards that we wanted to invest our money and not just spend it and I think we're doing it with players like Alexandre."

Frutos is the third Frenchman to arrive at The Withdean this summer and follows in the footsteps of Carole and goalkeeper Florent Chaigneau.