Rangers are continuing to negotiate with Rapid Vienna for Nikica Jelavic, having had a first bid rejected. Pic: ©SNS Group
Rangers boss Walter Smith remains hopeful of convincing Rapid Vienna to part company with striker Nikica Jelavic. The Croatian forward was subject to a bid from the SPL champions earlier this week, which was rejected by the Austrian club.
Rapid reportedly want £4 million for Jelavic, who has just one year left to run on his contract. Rangers are currently trying to negotiate that price, with Smith revealing before his side's 1-0 defeat to AEK Athens in the final match of their Australian tour that he remained hopeful of convincing Rapid to sell at the Scottish club's valuation.
“Of course we have an interest in him,” Smith told the Daily Record. “Negotiations are going a bit slower than we had hoped but we are working on that.”
6ft 2in Jelavic, who moved to Austria from Belgian club Zulte Waregem in 2008, scored against Celtic three times across their two Europa League matches last year. The Croatian scored Rapid’s goal in their 1-1 draw in Glasgow, before scoring twice in the first eight minutes of the 3-3 draw in Vienna.
Speaking in the Austrian press earlier this week, Jelavic said he knew of Rangers' interest in him but was focused solely on performing for Rapid, until he was told otherwise. “There has always been interest,” he said. “My agent now told me it’s Rangers who want me.
“I can assure Rapid supporters to give my best as long as I play for the club – however long this will be.”
Jelavic scored 18 times in 33 league matches last campaign, finding the net nine times in 12 Europa League games. This season he has continued his scoring form in Europe, scoring twice against Lithuanians Suduva Marijampole in the second qualifying round of the Europa League in a 6-2 aggregate victory. He also played in his team's 1-1 draw away to Bulgarian's Beroe Stara Zagora on Thursday night.
RANGERS' BID FOR JELAVIC
Because of his involvement in European competition already this season for Rapid Vienna, Jelavic could find himself unavailable to play for Rangers in the Champions League, provided his transfer goes through.
While he is not automatically cup-tied for Uefa's main two club competitions through his participation in the qualifying rounds, he would become ineligible to play for Rangers in Europe if Rapid go on to play in the Europa League group stages.
Rule 18.07 of Uefa's rules on player eligibility in the Champions League and Europa League states: “As a rule, a player may not play in a Uefa club competition (i.e. Uefa Champions League and Uefa Europa League, but not Uefa Super Cup) for more than one club in the course of the same season.
“Exceptionally, however, a player who has been fielded in the first, second or third qualifying round of the Uefa Champions League or Uefa Europa League is entitled to play in the Uefa Champions League or Uefa Europa League for another club as from the group stage, provided that his former club did not qualify for the group phase of either the Uefa Champions League or the Uefa Europa League.”
