Liam Lindsay: English clubs eye Partick Thistle defender as boss urges him to stay

Liam Lindsay was in the PFA Scotland team of the season

Liam Lindsay has attracted fresh enquiries from English clubs, but Alan Archibald thinks he would benefit from another season at Partick Thistle.

The 21-year-old central defender was in the PFA Scotland team of the year, voted on by his fellow professionals.

Manager Archibald said there were "a few enquiries in January".

"There have been a couple of enquiries since then," he told BBC Scotland. "But it wouldn't do him any harm to stay here for another year."

English League One clubs Bolton Wanderers and Charlton Athletic have been linked with Lindsay, but his manager would not reveal the interested parties.

"There's been a few enquiries but nothing concrete in terms of bids or anything like that," said Archibald.

"Whatever comes, it comes and we cross that bridge when we come to it."

Lindsay, who is a product of Thistle's youth system, has expressed disappointment at not having received international recognition at any level for Scotland.

However, being the only player in the PFA Scotland team of the year outside of champions Celtic and second-top Aberdeen has further spotlighted his availability in a problem position for national head coach Gordon Strachan.

"If he had been involved in the Under-21s, the Scotland staff could have had a look at him closely and there wouldn't be this hype," suggested Archibald.

"I know we're short of centre-halves in this country, so that's why people are pushing for Liam to have a chance and it would have made it easier for all the staff at Scotland to have been in the Under-21s last year.

Niall Keown is poised to return to Reading at the end of his loan at Firhill

"Whether he is ready to go into the first team now, it is hard for me to tell - I am not an international manager.

"All I know is that his performances over the last three seasons have been getting better and better and we're reaping the rewards of that and hopefully he is with us next year again.

"He's got better every season and hopefully that continues next season."

Lindsay's partner in central defence, on-loan Englishman Niall Keown, is due to return to Reading at the end of the season.

"We'd like to have him back - he's done fantastically well - but with Reading being in a play-off to get into the Premier League, the goalposts can change at any time for Niall," said Archibald.

"It is for Niall to go down and have a chat with them and see where the land lies."

Archibald revealed that a central defender and a goalscorer would be his priority when it comes to summer signings - and that finishing in the top six and clear of relegation had helped him in his quest.

"We've got most of our boys signed up on longer-term deals, so we only need two or three positions depending on who we let go and who leaves," he added.

"We've got a couple of targets that we're speaking to and we'll see where that goes.

"Obviously being in the top six gives us a chance to start that a little bit earlier, but every player wants to wait to see if there is something better out there.

"We need attacking players. Obviously our goal record wasn't fantastic this season and we want to improve on that."