Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi admits he wants a 'power midfielder' to replace Moises Caicedo.
Caicedo is due to sign for Chelsea in a £115m deal.
De Zerbi told The Argus: “Yes, I think we need another midfielder if Caicedo leaves. And, for me, he can leave.
“We need another midfielder with the same characteristics, the same importance.
“In the Premier League, you know better than me, in midfield positions, sometimes you need more kilogrammes, more impact."
Mahmoud Dahoud started in midfield for victory over Luton on Saturday.
De Zerbi said: “Dahoud is a great player for us because he is specific for our idea of football, for our style of play.
“But I think we lost different characteristics.
“Dahoud is different to Moises Caicedo."