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Page last updated at 12:56 GMT, Friday, 23 January 2009

Novo happy to remain at Rangers

Rangers striker Nacho Novo
Novo has been linked with a return to his native Spain

Nacho Novo says he is happy at Rangers, despite speculation linking him with a move away from Ibrox.

The Spanish striker has featured mainly as a substitute this season and Rangers are keen to offload players before the end of the end of the transfer window.

"There's been a few things in the papers recently, but I don't know about that," Novo told the Rangers website.

"I just want to play here and help the club win things. We have a great squad and the atmosphere is very good."

Jean-Claude Darcheville and Chris Burke have already departed Rangers this month and top scorer Kris Boyd turned down the chance to join Birmingham City after a fee had been agreed between the two clubs.

And, with Rangers having admitted that selling players would help their current financial position, speculation continues about who will leave next.

"Every day there is something written about our players, but this does not affect anything, we just go out and enjoy training every day," added Novo, whose side narrowed the gap with Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premier League to two points.

"We all stick together and want to win things.

Rangers are not going to disappear because of the fact that we haven't sold one player

Walter Smith

"It was nice to see the gap get closer at the top last weekend but for us there is no point in talking about past results.

"We must look after ourselves and make sure we do the business."

Manager Walter Smith says there has been no fresh interest in any of his players but has played down suggestions that he is under pressure to trim his squad.

"There's nothing happening," said Smith.

"Rangers are not going to disappear because of the fact that we haven't sold one player. I don't know what action will be taken if that happens.

"Transfers and movement of players is something that happens within a football club. The players have had the situation explained to them. We carry on in the same situation as we were in prior to the transfer window coming up.

"We have a determination to do well and I think that that will not be affected by anything that's happening on the outside. I don't think it has been affected.

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"Regardless of what has been going on beforehand, footballers want to win and we face a few big games in our next league matches and you can tell that the players themselves are looking forward to the challenge of those games.

"Our concentration has to be solely on doing well in games and hopefully we'll do that."

Celtic coach Neil Lennon said this week that his side's recent championship successes make them better equipped to triumph in this season's SPL title race.

And Smith, who led Rangers to nine successive league titles in his first spell as Ibrox boss, admits that his current squad face a challenging task to finish the season as league leaders.

"That experience of going on and winning a championship is something that, I know from experience, helps you when you get there, but if you're challengers then you've got to overcome that. That's what we face," he said.

Smith alluded to Rangers' packed fixture list domestically and in Europe as a factor in their inability to win the title last season.

As for this term, he admits that his side have shown a "little bit of frailty".

"We have to cover that in the second half of the season and that's just what we have to try and do," he added.

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see also
McLeish backs under-fire Murray
15 Jan 09 |  Rangers
McLeish downbeat over Boyd deal
13 Jan 09 |  Rangers
Novo's star on the rise in Spain
30 Dec 08 |  Rangers
Novo plays down Scotland cap call
06 Nov 08 |  Internationals
Rangers sign Novo
06 Jul 04 |  Scottish Premier