By Ian Roache

NACHO NOVO is determined to keep his cool as rumours over a possible transfer to Rangers hot up.

The Dundee striker is being touted for a move to Ibrox as part of the expected January sales at Dens Park.

However, the Spaniard, who has been in scintillating form this season for the Dark Blues, is not letting the speculation upset him.

“I know nothing about the Rangers rumours and all I can say is that there has been no contact made with my agent by any club,” said Novo.

“But, of course, Dundee have big problems and they need to find money.

“We are in a very bad situation, I know, as £20 million of debt is a lot of money.

“And if the offer is good from any team—not just Rangers—and Dundee say ‘Nacho you must go’ then I will have to leave.

“I am not asking to leave, though, as I am happy with the way I have been playing for Dundee and I have scored 15 goals already.

“This has been my year and I am enjoying my football.

“Rangers are a big club, a very good club, but no one has spoken to me about that and I have no problem getting on with my job.”

Novo’s best friend in Scotland is fellow Spaniard and Rangers star Mikel Arteta, whom the Dundee star helped settle in following his move from Barcelona to Ibrox at the start of last season.

He also keeps regular contact with former Dens defender Zurab Khizanishvili and has monitored the Georgian’s progress since his controversial summer transfer to the champions.

However, he maintains he is totally focused on doing his best for the Dark Blues, so much so that he has not even talked to his friends about the speculation linking him with the Light Blues.

“Arteta is my best friend and I speak to him all the time,” said Novo.

“I also speak to Zurab because I know him from last season with Dundee.

“But I have not talked to them about Rangers because it’s just rumours and they are just players so what would they know about it. Only the manager knows what is going to happen.

“I’m not going to pay attention to the rumours from now on—I just want to concentrate on my football.”

His team-mate Lee Wilkie, who could join him out the exit door, accepts that Novo’s spell at Dens could come to an abrupt halt to help ease the debt.

“Nacho keeps playing well and keeps scoring goals and any striker in the kind of form he is in is going to attract interest from other teams,” said Wilkie.

“The situation we are in makes it all the harder to hold on to someone like him.

“The manager has told us to concentrate on things week by week as there is no point worrying about what’s going to happen in January because no one really knows what lies ahead.

“We will try to take it as it comes, but it’s difficult.

“We could have the weird situation where players are forced into making moves they don’t really want to make.

“It could be something they are maybe not 100% happy with but they will have to go.

“That is preying on the players’ minds a bit. I wouldn’t like to be in that situation myself and I am sure others wouldn’t either.

“I have said before that I don’t want to leave Dundee but there are going to be big decisions to be made and there could be a hard few weeks ahead.”

Meanwhile, the Dark Blues have Dave Mackay (hamstring) and Jonay Hernandez (infected toe) on the treatment table, while Mark Fotheringham was absent from training as he is with the Scotland under-20 team in Portugal.