Former Scotland international Lee McCulloch could join the Blues on a free transfer in January, according to one of Sunday's tabloids. McCulloch has made only five appearances for the SPL giants this season and is believed to be surplus to requirements.

McCulloch, 30, joined Rangers from Wigan, where he had played alongside David Wright and former skipper Jason De Vos, in the summer of 2007 for a fee of £2.25 million.

The versatile Bellshill-born player was a regular for Walter Smith's side last season but has been more of a peripheral figure this year. Overall, he has made 42 starts and eight sub appearances for the Ibrox club, scoring six goals.

McCulloch, 6ft 1in tall, began his career as an out-and-out striker with Motherwell, spending six seasons at Fir Park before moving to Wigan, at the time in what's now League One, for £700,000 in 2001.

During his spell with the Latics, then-manager Paul Jewell converted him into a left-sided midfielder, playing a role which Jason De Vos once compared to Jon Walters's right midfield position with Town. More recently with Rangers and Scotland, McCulloch has often been used on the right.

In September, McCulloch announced his retirement from international football to concentrate on playing at club level having won 15 caps and having scored one goal.

McCulloch has a contract with Rangers until 2011 but the club are believed to be willing to allow him to leave for nothing.

Town could well look to add a big target man to their squad during January, while McCulloch's similarities with Jon Walters could lead to renewed speculation regarding the former Chester man's future.

Stoke were strongly linked with a move for Walters in the summer, although no bid was ever received, while Wigan have watched the 25-year-old – who signed a contract taking him up to 2012 in October - on a regular basis this season.

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