Everton FC, Nikica Jelavic
Everton’s Nikica Jelavic has won the Barclays Player of the Month Award for April after scoring six goals in the three Barclays Premier League games he played in during the month.
Jelavic has quickly established himself as a favourite of the Goodison faithful since joining the club from Scottish side Rangers in the January transfer window, and began the month by scoring both of his side’s goals in a 2-2 draw away to Norwich City.
Having sat out the 4-0 home win against Sunderland, the Croatian international returned to the Everton starting line-up for the game against Manchester United at Old Trafford, where he struck twice to earn the Toffees a thrilling 4-4 draw against the current Barclays Premier League champions.
Jelavic ended the month by helping himself to yet another brace of goals in the emphatic 4-0 win at home to Fulham, taking his tally to eight Barclays Premier League goals for the season.
Upon receiving the award, Jelavic said: “I am really pleased to have won the Barclays Player of the Month award. Everyone at Everton has been very good to me since I arrived at the club and I am glad that I have been able to reward the fans for their fantastic support. Awards are always nice and this one shows how well the team is doing just now. We are playing some great football and we are creating chances, which for a centre-forward is obviously very important. We are finishing the season really well and we hope to end with two more wins from our last two games.”
The decision was made by the Barclays Awards Panel, which includes representatives from football’s governing bodies, the media and fans. This is the first time that Nikica Jelavic has won the Barclays Player of the Month award, and is the first Croatian to receive the accolade.
Nikica Jelavic
· Nikica Jelavic was born on 27th August 1985 in ?apljina
· Jelavic began his career with Hadjuk Split in 2002, where he spent five years, before moving on for spells with Zulte Waregem and Rapid Vienna
· In 2010, he signed for Scottish Premier League side Rangers, where he scored a total of 30 goals in 45 appearances, helping the club to the Scottish title in 2010/11
· On 31st January 2011, Jelavic signed for David Moyes’ Everton for a reported £5 million fee
· Since joining The Toffees, Jelavic has scored a total of ten goals in 14 appearances for the club
· This is the first time that Jelavic has won the Barclays Player of the Month award in his career