DRAGONS boss Dean Ryan wants to offer stalwart prop Brok Harris a contract extension – but admits that money is tight.

The South African front rower signed a new deal in June that expires at the end of the calendar year and is a key figure as Wales loosehead Ryan Bevington is set for investigative surgery on a knee injury.

That leaves Harris as the senior prop with 20-year-old prospect Josh Reynolds and Jack Cosgrove, a summer signing from Worcester, as his back-up.

Harris has featured in all four Guinness PRO14 games this season and played a leading role in a strong scrummaging performance in last weekend's win against Glasgow at Rodney Parade.

The 34-year-old arrived from the Stormers in 2014 and director of rugby Ryan is keen on agreeing fresh terms with the veteran.

South Wales Argus:

"We want to keep Brok here, he is a key part of what we want to do," said Ryan.

"I don't think it a secret that we have some challenges around money, it's not just what we want, it's what we have got available. That is something we are working at all the time to try and find an answer."

The Dragons' front row options will soon be boosted by former Wales prop Aaron Jarvis, who can play on either side of the scrum.

The 33-year-old has been out of action since suffering a hamstring injury against the Scarlets in Llanelli in January.

South Wales Argus:

"Aaron is back training," said Ryan. "He is not back for full contact yet but he is back with us and took part in some scrums and drives for the first time today.

"We are a small squad and we had a young man on the bench last weekend (Reynolds). In a best scenario we want to give him some development experience but what we don't want is over-exposure.

"We've got to try and get that right, but at the same time we've got to work within some financial constraints that are pretty tough."

Bevington suffered a knee injury in the season opener against Munster in Limerick and is set to go under the knife, as is back row forward Lewis Evans after a bicep injury ahead of the win against the Warriors.

"Ryan needs some investigative surgery to understand his knee injury a bit better, we have got some pain issues that we need to look at," said Ryan.

"We probably also need to do the same with Lewis Evans, who has an issue with a bicep which might need further investigation because he had to pull out quite late last week."

Back row forward Harrison Keddie (chest) is back in the selection mix for Friday's clash with Leinster at the Royal Dublin Society.

Meanwhile, the Wales trio of Elliot Dee, Aaron Wainwright and Ross Moriarty are unlikely to return to Dragons duty until December after their World Cup exertions.

That would rule them out of the European Challenge Cup encounters with Castres and Enisei-STM as well as the PRO14 clash with Zebre, which is in Newport on the same day as the Barbarians double-header at Principality Stadium.