Despite the summer transfer window only recently shutting, attention already turns to January and which players Alan Pardew might be looking to bring in. There’s no doubting that he’ll be looking for a striker once more and it’s likely that he’ll return to some of his targets this summer. One man Newcastle are reported to have made an inquiry about is Rangers’ forward Nikica Jelavic. On deadline day an unnamed club made a £9 million bid for the Croatian, which was reported to be Liverpool, so can Newcastle succeed where the Reds failed and bring in Jelavic in January?
Nikica Jelavic isn’t a name I’m overly familiar with. He joined Rangers last season for a fee of £4m from Rapid Vienna. Despite an ankle injury early in his Ibrox career, he finished his first season in the SPL with 16 goals in 23 appearances, with a further two strikes this season. He’s also played a dozen times for his country, having scored twice at international level. Those stats aren’t overly impressive, especially given the weakness of the Scottish league, but that hasn’t prevented clubs from pursuing him.
To recap what happened on deadline day, first Championship side Leicester lodged a £6.5m bid. That was duly rejected by Rangers. Their manager Ally McCoist is clearly keen to hold onto his star striker, as then later in the day a further bid of £9m was rejected, twice as much as the Gers paid for him just 12 months ago. There were murmurings that bid might have come from Newcastle, but those in the know seem to think that Liverpool and Kenny Dalglish were behind it.
Come January Jelavic is likely to be in demand again. The 6ft 2in forward would certainly provide a bit of height up front for Newcastle, but is that what they need? Liverpool have obviously seen something in him, and supposedly would bring him in as backup for ex-Newcastle striker Andy Carroll. My one concern is that this reminds me all too much of Jean-Alain Boumsong; bidding close to £10m for a player that Rangers got on the cheap just a year ago. We’ll have to wait and see whether Newcastle and Liverpool go head to head for his signature in January…
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If you arent familiar with him then why dont you research the player before you write a nonsense article?
I looked him up, I wasn’t impressed
Following the JAB deal I understand you caution however make no mistake Jela is a class act. He is good in the air, can hold it up and for a big guy is good on the deck. I would prefer him to stay with Scotlands champs however he will move next summer at the latest (imho).
Is his strike rate good enough, though?
Big jela is a player for a bigger level than the SPL he finds it all to easy up here. Liverpool, Man U and also yourselves have been linked to him in recent times Rangers wont let him go cheap great player who can only get better playing in a better league.
I can’t see Liverpool being the team that tried to buy the 26 year old Jelavic.
We can only have a squad of 25 players over the age of 21 registered. I can’t see us wanting 5 of those 25 to be players who can play as a striker. There is only so much room on the bench.
Jelavic said last season when the toon were linked with him that he wouldn’t go to a club like Newcastle. I can see him replacing Berbatov at UTD
He cost £4m in last year of his contract – hardly cheap.
He has scored 12 in his last 15 outings in Europe and had just short of a goal a game ratio last season despite being injured for a third of it.
In short, far too good for Newcastle.
Far too good for Newcastle? He’s at Rangers at the moment.
The “mystery” £9million bid on deadline day is widely considered to have been an invention leaked by Rangers to push up the price Jelavic goes for in January and/or placate the rangers support who were raging at the lack of decent signings in the transfer window.
Rangers are currently unable (or unwilling) to pay an overdue tax bill of over £4million, being sued by their former chief exec for unfair dismissal, being sued by their own lawyers over unpaid fees and looking at a further tax bill estimated to be anywhere between £20 and £50million if they lose their pending court case with HMRC….do you really think a club in that kind of financial mess could afford to turn down a £9million bid for any of their players?
That does make sense.
Im Telling You This Guy Is Class For Club & Country , He Will Not Go To Newcastle , He Will Either Be At Spurs Or Man Utd For £13-15M
£9m is far too much for Jelevic. He was injured last a lot season and hasn’t looked as interested in this. That equals a good half season in Scotland. Add that to the fact that Rangers weren’t able to raise a meagre £2m for a long standing transfer target and have now £2m arrested for the minor tax case, you can see why clubs might think there could be a fire sale. Come December Newcastle could be bartering from a position of strength
Wait a few months till Rangers go bust and you can pick him up for £9 instead of £9m.
Just be careful who you are dealing with? Rumours are that Rangers don’t actually “own” this player.