Brighton & Hove Albion: Tony Bloom ready to spend in January

Bloom became Brighton chairman in May 2009, replacing Dick Knight

Brighton chairman Tony Bloom says he is prepared to back manager Sami Hyypia in the January transfer window.

The Seagulls signed eight players on permanent deals this summer but have struggled in the Championship.

"Generally January is not a place I like to do business but for the right player at the right price, we certainly will," Bloom told BBC Sussex.

"It depends a lot on injuries, how some of the short-term loans are going and if the players we want are available."

Albion are currently 20th in the Championship table, having won three league games this season, and sit just one point above the relegation zone.

In September Bloom described the summer transfer window, which saw the sales of striker Leonardo Ulloa and winger Will Buckley to Leicester and Sunderland respectively, as the toughest since he became chairman in 2009.

Hyypia is keen to strengthen his attacking options, be it during January or beforehand, having seen his side score just 17 times in as many league games.

"Sometimes in January the prices are ridiculous because the best players are not available or are only available at a silly price," added Bloom.

"We look at every situation on its own merits. I have no idea yet exactly what will happen."

Hyypia took charge of Brighton on a three-year-deal in June, but the former Liverpool defender has endured a difficult start to his first managerial job in England.

"Any club will get bad times at some point," said Bloom. "It was 11 league games without a win - which keeps getting talked about - but we weren't playing too badly in those games.

"It is Sami's first season in the Championship and he is going to be learning a lot as he goes along.

"In the long run, our coaching team and our players will gain from that experience of the bad times. I like to be optimistic and I feel good things will come out of it."

Bloom is keen to push for promotion to the Premier League, having financed their move to the Amex Stadium in 2011 and the opening of a new training complex this summer.

"What we are trying to do is to have a squad of players which has the ability to get promoted from the Championship every season," he said.

"In the last two seasons we have had that squad and got to the play-offs and got very close.

"I believe we have got it this season. If you look at the league table it doesn't look like that but results don't always equal performances.

"The cost of our squad this year, in terms of salaries, is higher than it has ever been in our history."