Poyet wants Mackail-Smith to stay

4 August 2012 11:37

Brighton manager Gus Poyet is keen to retain the services of striker Craig Mackail-Smith despite interest from Leeds United.

Leeds manager Neil Warnock has made the 28-year-old one of his main transfer targets as he looks to bolster his attacking options.

But the Scottish international is a wanted player at Brighton according to his manager.

"We are really conscious of trying to make sure Macca (Mackail-Smith) can go and score over 20 goals next season," said Poyet, who wants to sign a target man to get the best out of the former Peterborough United forward.

"We're looking for the right player (to partner Mackail-Smith). We got a couple of loans last year, Billy Paynter and Sam Vokes, and even though they did a job for us I was still thinking they were not the type of player we needed."

Poyet's comments may prompt Warnock to look elsewhere, with former Leeds hero Jermaine Beckford – now at Leicester City – and West Ham United's Nicky Maynard linked with moves to the Yorkshire giants.