LEWIS Grabban is tonight locked in talks with Brighton after the Seagulls swooped for the Cherries striker.

Leading scorer Grabban could be poised to complete a move to the Amex after negotiations with Albion officials.

Cherries this morning confirmed that their Championship rivals had submitted a formal offer for Grabban, triggering a release clause in his contract.

The bid, which was understood to have been in the region of £1.1million, came after speculation that Brighton were preparing to move for Cherries’ ace marksman.

As per the terms of his Cherries contract, Grabban was told of Brighton’s interest and he was asked if he wished to meet for discussions with the Seagulls.

Grabban was understood to have expressed his desire to sit down with representatives from Brighton and those talks are ongoing.

Grabban had this week emerged on the Seagulls’ wish-list of attacking targets to replace recent Burnley recruit Ashley Barnes.

Grabban appeared on Brighton’s radar after rocketing to the top of the Dean Court goalscoring charts with 10 in 24 Championship appearances this term.

The ex-Crystal Palace man is contracted to Cherries until June 2016 after putting pen to paper on an improved deal in November.

However, having only joined Cherries from Rotherham in summer 2012, he now looks set to quit the club in favour of Brighton.

Should Grabban exit Dean Court, Tokelo Rantie, Brett Pitman and Josh McQuoid would be the senior strikers left in Eddie Howe’s squad.

Wes Thomas this week completed a permanent move to Rotherham and fellow forward Matt Tubbs extended his loan at Crawley until the end of the season.