Albion manager Mark McGhee today put an ideal forward partner for Leon Knight at the top of his summer shopping list.

McGhee wants to bring the best back out of Knight by finding him the right player to feed off and getting him fitter during pre-season.

Knight has signed a new one-year contract after a disappointing season in the Championship. The former Chelsea marksman managed only four goals, compared to 27 the previous season when the Seagulls won promotion via the play-offs.

McGhee said: "I think it was a disjointed season for Leon. Being suspended at the beginning meant he had a stuttering start.

"He did not engage his brain well enough in pre-season because of that and it took him a long time to get as fit as others.

"In a small area Leon is sharp but to do the job we want him to do he has to get fitter and that will improve his performance as well.

"Also, at no point did he have the prefect partner. The partner best suited to Leon is somebody who can really hold the ball up. Probably the closest player we had to that was when Steve Claridge was with us.

"That is why at the top of my shopping list is a striker who can really hold the ball up. After that it is a case of who can play with that player, Leon or one of the others."

McGhee has dismissed as agent talk reports linking Albion with young Scunthorpe centre forward Paul Hayes, whose goals helped Brian Laws' side to promotion to League One.

"If somebody is connecting him with us it's an agent," McGhee said.