Archibald unsure about Balatoni future

Partick Thistle have tied down Callum Booth and Christie Elliott but manager Alan Archibald fears they will lose Conrad Balatoni.

Booth will join Thistle on a one-year deal after his loan spell from Hibernian ends while Elliott has extended his stay by two years.

But defender Balatoni, who has been linked with Barnsley and Blackpool, is proving harder to persuade.

Archibald, whose side host Kilmarnock on Saturday, said: "I'm hopeful but the way it's looking, I think he might end up going elsewhere.

"Conrad has been fantastic for me, I enjoyed playing with him and enjoyed managing him and he is welcome here any time.

"If he wants to go and try something else, it's one of those things. That's Conrad, he is an ambitious lad.

"We will keep trying and we hope he is going to sign but I think there is every chance he will move on.''

Archibald was delighted to get his first two extensions wrapped up after opening talks last week once Thistle had secured their Scottish Premiership status.

Left-back Booth, 23, has made 12 appearances for Thistle after making Firhill his latest loan club following earlier spells with Arbroath, Brechin, Livingston and Raith Rovers.

Archibald said: "He started a bit slow but we have seen the best of him now once he has settled in. In recent weeks he has been very good.''

Versatile former Whitley Bay player Elliott, also 23, has scored 14 goals in 124 appearances for the Jags.

"We need to tie him down in one position,'' Archibald said. "He is a manager's dream, he can play in different positions, any time he has been called upon he has done really well.

"In recent seasons he has been a fringe player but this season, apart from injury, he has been a mainstay in the team.''

Archibald is hoping to complete more deals by early next week but any move for on-loan Scunthorpe striker Lyle Taylor will be more complicated.

"There is a fee involved with Lyle so we don't know what's going to happen there,'' Archibald said. "We will try to tie up our own players first because we know Lyle could drag on.''

Meanwhile, Archibald is hopeful forward Ryan Stevenson will be fit for the start of pre-season training after undergoing knee surgery to repair a damaged meniscus on Thursday afternoon.