Albion are ready to offer Leon Knight an improved contract, manager Mark McGhee revealed today.

The Seagulls are hopeful of thrashing out a new deal with Knight and his agent, although McGhee admits he could still lose last season's prolific top scorer.

Knight is among 13 players out of contract at the end of the season.

An offer has been held up by Albion's financial crisis but McGhee is keen to keep hold of the former Chelsea striker, even though he has scored only twice in the Championship and has not been a regular in the side.

McGhee said: "I had arranged a meeting with Leon's agent last week. For one reason or another we never got together and he is off to New York this weekend.

"I've spoken to Leon and as soon as his agent comes back I'll be getting together with him and the chairman and we will be offering Leon a new and improved contract.

"When you are offering a player a new contract it starts immediately and until recently, when the financial situation has improved slightly, we have not been able to make that commitment."

The sales of Darren Currie to Ipswich and Danny Cullip to Sheffield United, together with the lucrative FA Cup trip to Tottenham a week tomorrow, have eased Albion's cash crisis, but McGhee is worried factors other than money will have an impact on whether or not Knight stays.

"We need 20 players that are good enough to be in the team and Leon is clearly that," he said. "I am hopeful he will sign, the same as I am with Dan Harding still and Adam Hinshelwood, but the club is in a terrible dilemma.

"The business of the stadium is affecting everybody, including me. I know I'm repeating myself, but I want a contract the same as the players do and I haven't got one.

"The stadium is making life very difficult for us all and the players are going to take that into account.

"It would still be a concern for me also that someone will come in for Leon. He showed in the Stoke game before Christmas what he is capable of. He didn't score, but if he plays like that every week he will soon get goals."

McGhee is torn between restoring Knight to the starting line-up against his old club QPR tomorrow or keeping faith with the team which drew 1-1 at Wolves on Tuesday.

Knight, banned for the Boxing Day win against Gillingham, began on the bench at Wolves where his replacement Gary Hart scored.

"I am desperate to find a way of getting Leon into the team, but there wasn't a failure on Tuesday and therefore I have got to look at that first," McGhee said.