PARTICK THISTLE boss Alan Archibald hopes to be busy in the final week of the transfer window.

Archibald is looking for a defender and a midfielder, after losing Stuart Bannigan for a long-term period following knee surgery.

Archibald, whose team host Hearts on Saturday, said: "We have a couple of things ongoing but I will never say never until they're signed. It's like that at this time of year, all the teams are looking at the same type of players.

Read more: Elliott helping Bannigan through injury hell as he nears his own Thistle returnGlasgow Times: Ultimatum: Partick Thistle manager Alan Archibald says he will be forced to pursue other targets should some of his out of contract players fail to give him an answer on their offers soon.

"Usually you find in the last few days leading up to it that people start trimming their squads and it might open up a couple of avenues for ourselves.

"We are looking for a centre-back and centre-midfielder, we need cover and competition in both areas."

Ladbrokes Premiership clubs were assured a bonus of more than £200,000 this week when Celtic's Champions League qualification sealed UEFA solidarity payments but Archibald will not see any uplift in his budget for this season.

"We don't actually get the payment until next year so we'll not take it until we need it," he said.

"We've got a budget for this year set so we have a bit of money to bring players in."