It has been widely reported that recently relegated Hull City have agreed to sell striker Nikica Jelavic at a cut price fee of just £3m, as they attempt to lower their wage bill in the English Championship.

The Croat has been linked with moves to Italian cracks Napoli and UAE outfit Al Ahli. Some media outlets have suggested a deal has been struck with Turkish side Trabzonspor.

But as a proven goalscorer in the English Premier League (EPL), should the leagues new clubs Norwich City, Watford and AFC Bournemouth not step in with a bid to keep the forward in England?

During Hull’s ultimately disappointing campaign last season, Jela still top the relegated sides scoring charts with eight goals (even though he missed three months of the season due to injury). In total the forward has bagged twenty-eight goals in one hundred and one Premier League outings.

That can of quality can be hard to come-by, especially for some of the promoted sides.

At twenty-nine years old, Jelavic still has time on his side to keep scoring important goals. The experienced hitman can give the right side a great focal point for their team.

Nikica Jelavic is that hardworking type of striker who will always give his all. He’s of a similar mould to other Croatian strikers like Dado Prso, Ivica Olic and Mario Mandzukic. They are warrior types, who will grab you some vital goals.

When on form Nikica can be lethal with his finishing, often with just one touch finishes. He can also pressurise defences, win knock-ons and battle away with tough opposition.

Another positive for any potential new employer would be the fact that Jelavic retired from international football late last year. That would mean less chance of him suffering injuries away from the club.

The striker has been in the UK for five years now and seems to enjoy it here but then again maybe he’ll be tempted by a huge offer in terms of a big wage from one of his foreign suitors.

But a Premier League side will only find out his wishes if they can actually launch a bid for his services.

Former Hull City teammate Steve Harper recently complimented the frontman:

“When (Nikica) Jelavic played last season the points total was in the twenties.

“He was a big player. Whether or not they can keep him remains to be seen”

I’d imagine that all the new EPL sides will want to add new centre-forwards to their frontline options. So why not go out and get a guy who has been there and done it before?

For me, signing a fit Nikica Jelavic could prove to be an excellent piece of business for most of the lower placed sides in the Premier League.

At a modest fee of £3m, surely it would be worth a phone call to the Croat’s agent and see if Jela still has an appetite for the English game.

Posted on June 26th, 2015 by scott
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