Craig Mackail-Smith heads to Brighton in four-year deal

Mackail-Smith netted 35 times in all competitions last season

Brighton have signed Peterborough United striker Craig Mackail-Smith on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee.

The Seagulls made a late bid for the 27-year-old who had attracted offers from Leicester City and West Ham.

Posh were promoted from League One alongside Brighton last season, with Mackail-Smith netting 35 times.

"He is a player that we can build our team around, which is why I was so keen to bring him here," Seagulls boss Gus Poyet told the club website.

"And one of the most pleasing aspects for me is that we have signed him despite interest from some other big, big teams.

"To bring in a player of his standard is unbelievable, the chairman Tony Bloom and members of the backroom staff have worked hard to make the deal happen, and it is a real team effort which has brought him here."

Mackail-Smith looked set to join Leicester on Friday, with Posh chairman Darragh MacAnthony saying he expected the Scotland forward to head to the Walkers Stadium.

MacAnthony has also revealed Leicester and West Ham had offers accepted, but the London club pulled out of the deal.

"From a financial point of view, I wanted him to choose West Ham, because the offer was more," he told the Posh website.

"I'm then hearing the player couldn't make up his mind, which amazed me, because you'd walk to play for the likes of West Ham and Leicester.

"I got a phone call on Sunday to say that West Ham had pulled out... then Brighton came in with an offer, it wasn't as good as West Ham's, but it was matching Leicester's with a bit more money up front.

"He chooses where he wants to go, something tells me he always wanted to go to Brighton, I wish I'd known that in the first place."

The move to Brighton is in spite of Mackail-Smith's desire to join a Premier League side.

Since arriving at London Road from the Daggers in January 2007, he has scored 99 times in 212 games.