Everton agree deal with Hull City worth up to £7.5m for Nikica Jelavic – Liverpool Echo

10 Jan 2014 22:16

Everton FC have agreed to sell Nikica Jelavic to Hull City in a deal worth up to £7.5m.

The striker will undergo a medical at the KC Stadium tomorrow, when he is also expected to agree personal terms before formally signing for the mid-table Tigers.

Blues boss Roberto Martinez had admitted he would be willing to listen to offers for the 28-year-old, who has struggled for regular first team football at Goodison this season and indicated he wanted a move to boost his World Cup credentials with Croatia.

The ECHO understands Everton will initially receive £5.5m up front for Jelavic, who scored 21 goals in 69 appearances for the Blues overall, but that fee is likely to rise by £2m in add ons.

Earlier today Martinez had explained how Jelavic might have played his way back into his first-team plans, after notching his first goals of the season with a brace against QPR last Saturday.

That seemed to have given Martinez pause for thought over whether or not to persist with Romelu Lukaku – who started the previous 16 games before last weekend’s cup tie – for tomorrow’s home clash with Norwich City.

He said: “Nikica has given me a selection headache and rightly so.”

<img src="http://www.football-rss.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/wp-o-matic/cache/1220c472e1_TMCL040114EVERTON-8-6470463.jpg" width="615" height="773" alt="Everton vs QPR at Goodison Park in the FA Cup. Goal Three as Nikica Jelavic scores the blues third goal. Photo by Colin Lane” class=”captify” title=”Everton vs QPR at Goodison Park in the FA Cup. Goal Three as Nikica Jelavic scores the blues third goal. Photo by Colin Lane” /> Everton vs QPR at Goodison Park in the FA Cup. Goal Three as Nikica Jelavic scores the blues third goal. Photo by Colin Lane  

However, things quickly changed when Steve Bruce made contact with a bid which meant the Toffees could potentially make a profit on a player who has failed to score in his last 700 minutes of Premier League action.

The former Rangers forward left Ibrox for Goodison in a £5.5m January 2012 move, and scored the only goal of a 1-0 win over Tottenham on his full debut.

Jelavic quickly became one of the Premier League’s most potent finishers, rattling in 11 goals in 16 games before the end of that campaign.

The following season, however, he struggled to maintain the blistering scoring rate of his early days, and finished the campaign as second-choice to Victor Anichebe.

Jelavic was given hope of reviving his Everton career under Martinez as he scored twice on the club’s USA pre-season tour, including a goal against Real Madrid, and started the first five league game’s of the Catalan’s reign.

But the arrival of Romelu Lukaku on loan from Chelsea saw Jealvic fall out of favour, as the Chelsea striker quickly hit the ground running.

The Croatian front-man has played a bit-part ever since, but was handed a starting role against QPR last weekend.

He responded with a brace as the Blues cruised to a 4-0 win, but it appears that display was his farewell to supporters who still held him in high esteem.

Martinez will now turn his attentions to a replacement.

<img src="http://www.football-rss.co.uk/wp-content/plugins/wp-o-matic/cache/1220c472e1_TMCL040114EVERTON-3-6470450.jpg" width="615" height="409" alt="Everton vs QPR at Goodison Park in the FA Cup. Goal Two by Nikica Jelavic. Photo by Colin Lane” class=”captify” title=”Everton vs QPR at Goodison Park in the FA Cup. Goal Two by Nikica Jelavic. Photo by Colin Lane” /> Everton vs QPR at Goodison Park in the FA Cup. Goal Two by Nikica Jelavic. Photo by Colin Lane  

Earlier this month he said: ”Nikica Jelavic is someone who we have made it very clear to – we’ve had a conversation and he has the World Cup around the corner.

“He needs to be playing minutes and we understand that. We’ll always try to give it a good assessment of the situation but that’s not affecting anyone at the club.”Whatever happens in January will be for the good of the football club and that’s where the work is.”