Partick Thistle manager John Lambie has had to give up the chase for two Scottish defenders due to lack of funds at Firhill.

The Jags boss will not be pursuing his interest in Kevin McGowne and Paul Lovering because he can't afford them.

Lambie was hoping to land out of favour Dundee United defender McGowne, but he admits the biggest stumbling block was the player's wages - and the same problem applies to Ayr United's Lovering.

Lambie said: "The Lovering thing has been blown out of the water now because of the wage structure.

"If a player I was interested in wanted to sign then he would be here by now but it comes down to the money.

"I made an enquiry about Kevin McGowne too but he still has a year left on his deal and is earning big money up there. There is no way we can match that.

"With the transfer window open just now, we are just making some enquiries about players.

"But football can change from day to day - today there might be nothing happening and that could change tomorrow."

Meanwhile, Lambie is to run the rule over Swedish defender Magnus Samuelsson when the club travel to Blackpool at the end of the week.

The 31-year-old could join up at Firhill with Lambie keen to replace Daniele Chiarini who left the club recently and has since signed for Dundee United.

Samuelsson helped FC Lahti to the Finnish championship recently and may be the first of a number of signings made by Lambie during the transfer window.

"I have not seen him play but I will be watching him closely over the week to see what he has to offer," Lambie told Partick Thistle's official website.

"I am badly in need of a defender, especially since Scott Paterson has picked up an injury in training, and with Kenny Milne and Derek Whyte still out and with other teams around us boosting their squad it is important that we try to do the same."

A swap deal involving St Mirren's Ian Ross and Thistle's Scott McLean collapsed last week, but Lambie believes it could be revived.