Alan Archibald might have been a manager in the SPFL Premiership for almost three months now but there will still be moments when he is caught off guard.

The news that Aaron Taylor-Sinclair is attracting interest was not one of them, though, the Thistle full-back having this week had Celtic added to a list of suitors reported to include Middlesbrough and Cardiff City.

The Firhill club will throw their hat into the ring again when the 22-year-old is out of contract in the summer but that will be largely in hope rather than expectation. Thistle are going to lose Taylor-Sinclair in the summer, and they know it. Given the defender was one of only two players not to agree new terms last summer - midfielder Steven Lawless was the other - the Glasgow club have been able to make their peace with that, as well as the knowledge they would not be entitled to any compensation should he wait until the end of the season to move on.

Having been signed from Montrose three years ago, the potential shown by Taylor-Sinclair has grown with his physique. Archibald is now confident that his player will continue to go from strength to strength after he leaves Firhill.

"I'm not surprised that clubs are interested in Aaron," said the Thistle manager. "What I am surprised about is that Aaron hasn't had a call-up for the Scotland Under-21 squad. He's a good height and he's filled out; when he first came here from Montrose he was a wee, scrawny lad but he looks like an athlete now. The modern-day full-back is more like a winger and getting him to defend isn't easy.

"We offered our squad new deals during the summer but he and Steven Lawless were the only ones not to accept it so I don't see us holding on to him. Aaron's a good lad and he's been brilliant for us but I think he now wants to go and test himself at a higher level so we won't stand in his way. We've had three good years out of Aaron and he's really progressed in that time."