Everton in talks with SPL hitman
The future of Rangers forward Nikica Jelavic looks almost certain to be resolved in the next 48 hours after it was revealed that Everton have entered negotiations with the star.
Numerous teams have shown an interest in signing the striker after he was linked with a move away over the summer but opted to stay at the Ibrox.
Rangers are understood to have little choice in selling their talisman as the club undergoes heavy financial difficulties and may require the sale in order to ease the burden.
Sunderland, West Brom and Stoke City have all shown an interest in Jelavic, however only West Ham are known to have mounted an official bid this month but saw their £7m offer rejected last week.
David Moyes has proven in recent seasons that he is fully capable of surviving in the Premier League on a tight budget but will appreciate being handed the funds necessary to go ahead and finish a deal to sign Jelavic.
Rangers are reportedly looking for £8m for their Croatian international, a fee the Toffees could have already met given their current personal contact with the player.
Everton recently sold Diniyar Bilyaletdinov to Spartak Moscow and will undoubtedly plough a large portion of that sum into buying another attacker, likely to be Jelavic.
The 26 year-old has made 55 appearances for Rangers, scoring 36 goals in the process, earning the attention he has received over the past year.
Ally McCoist isn’t happy about seeing his charge leave the club but admits it wil be hard to hang on to the attacker, stating: “He’s a fantastic player and he has been a great talent here. But, as you saw, we scored some really good goals. Nikica also didn’t play against Motherwell and equally we did very well. That’s just two examples. I’d also like to tell you I wouldn’t like to lose him. Of course I wouldn’t because he’s a good player,”
The Scot added: “But I understand the economics of our club and I understand the economics of football. Sometimes they dictate and determine what happens rather than other things.”
Jelavic didn’t feature in the 4-0 victory over Hibernian on the weekend and although the club claim this is due to illness, the poacher is almost certainly edging closer to a Premier League switch ahead of Tuesday’s deadline.
