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Still no Jelavic deal for Rangers

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Filip Sebo

Martin Bain returned from Vienna last night without Rangers signing target Nikica Jelavic.

Despite expectations and ‘come-and-get-me’ pleas from the striker Bain was unable to strike a deal to end cash strapped Rangers’ 23 month transfer embargo.

Various factors are apparently coming into play but in the not so distance past Sir David Murray would have cleared the way and have the striker paraded as a Rangers player in a blaze of glory.

A fee of £3.5m on the table would have done the trick but it’s highly unlikely that Lloyds TSB would sanction that sort of offer and the accompanying wages.

As well as Everton watching the striker who scored twice on Wednesday in the Europa League win against Stara Zagora it’s reported that Benfica are also showing interest along with claims that Jelavic’s previous club Zulte Waregem of Belgium have a sell-on clause in their deal with Rapid.

With the complications to the deal increasing on a daily basis it’s unsure whether D-Day for the deal will be Saturday, Sunday or Monday after previous D-Day’s passed without any developments.

As Rangers have admitted they can’t compete with Premiership sides for players with Championship favourites Middlesbrough also able to offer better terms than the Ibrox men.

The lure of guarantee Champions League football is no longer the attraction that it once was with Jelavic on the verge of being cup-tied if he plays again for Rapid in the Europa League.

Werner Kuhn of Rapid said: “I would prefer if Jelavic was still playing for us in the group stages of the Europa League and scoring goals.

“We could then sell him on for a spectacular transfer fee in January. We will see who we get in the draw before we come to any conclusion.”

Jelavic is reported to be the best striker to emerge in the Austrian League since Filip Sebo.

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