McCulloch wants Jelavic to stay

Every Rangers player is hoping star striker Nikica Jelavic will not be sold during next month's transfer window, according to team-mate Lee McCulloch.

The Croatian netted a double to secure maximum points in Saturday's 2-0 win over Hibernian in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League. Jelavic was this week linked with a move to Liverpool and was previously the subject of a failed £6.5million bid from Leicester in August.

Rangers sanctioned the sale of top goalscorer Kenny Miller last January, and McCulloch does not want to see history repeat itself. He said: "We've just got to pray that Jelavic stays and that he wants to stay and he keeps on playing the way he's playing. He loves it here. He's playing well for us and scoring goals. That's all the guys are worried about."

McCulloch added: "He wants to be here and he's playing well - that's all we can ask for."

Jelavic converted from the penalty spot in the second half, before a header soon after his opener secured the points against Hibs.

McCulloch added: "You can see for yourselves the way he plays and the goals he gets.

"You sometimes feel a bit sorry for him if he's up front on his own. The two big centre-halves were all over him so we are just delighted he was back on the scoresheet.

"It was important that we got the three points.

"In the first half, I thought we passed the ball about well but we didn't really create enough for big Jelavic.

"We changed the system a little bit in the second half and we started creating a few chances. Jelavic got two goals and I thought he was brilliant."