Rangers boss Smith dismisses Barcelona link for Bougherra

Rangers boss Walter Smith has moved to cool talk of a move to Barcelona for defender Madjid Bougherra.

He insists his only concern is that the player continues to deliver for Rangers after making his comeback for the Scottish champions to great effect against St Mirren at the weekend.

"There seems to have been speculation surrounding him since he came here more or less," said the Rangers boss.

"We had it last summer and in other transfer windows and he remains here. Hopefully that will be the case next year as well. From any player's point of view it would be nice to be linked with Barcelona and top Spanish teams. However accurate or inaccurate that is, I don't know.

"But the only thing that concerns us is that he stays here and plays his football and he has been doing that very well for us. He has actually missed quite a number of games this season through injury and then being away at the African Nations Cup.

"It's good to have him back and hopefully he can stay injury-free and play for us in the manner in which he has done. He has been excellent since he came to us."