Tigers will take loss on Jelavic to cut wages bill

NIKICA JELAVIC is expected to take Hull City’s summer sales tally to the £25m mark by completing his move to West Ham today.
Hull City were last night close to completing a deal  to sell Nikica Jelavic to West Ham for a fee around £2.5m to £3m having paid £7m for him (Picture: Bruce Rrollinson).Hull City were last night close to completing a deal  to sell Nikica Jelavic to West Ham for a fee around £2.5m to £3m having paid £7m for him (Picture: Bruce Rrollinson).
Hull City were last night close to completing a deal to sell Nikica Jelavic to West Ham for a fee around £2.5m to £3m having paid £7m for him (Picture: Bruce Rrollinson).

The Croatian striker underwent a medical yesterday and barring any last-minute hitches, will link up with his former national team manager Slaven Bilic.

Jelavic, who joined for £7m from Everton in January 2014, was quickly targeted after the Hammers opted against pursuing a move for Tottenham Hotspur’s forward Emmanuel Adebayor.

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While Hull will take a financial hit of £4m or higher on the fee for Jelavic, understood to be around £2.5m to £3m, the 30-year-old’s impending exit will ease their wage bill.

Jelavic is on a weekly wage packet of £30,000, even taking into account a 30 per cent pay-cut clause.

Hull have already boosted their coffers by over £20m following the sales of James Chester, Robbie Brady, Thomas Ince and Dame N’Doye, with the futures of Tom Huddlestone, Ahmed Elmohamady, Mo Diame and Michael Dawson also uncertain ahead of today’s 6pm window deadline.

Huddlestone has been linked with West Ham, while Leicester City and QPR are keen on Elmohamady. Dawson is a rumoured target of Bournemouth.

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On the incoming front, Hull also have business to attend to with the club hoping to complete the signing of Legia Warsaw goalkeeper Dusan Kuciak and keen to add a loan striker.

Watford’s Matej Vydra is one name on the Tigers’ wish-list, although a host of Championship clubs, including Sheffield Wednesday, are also on the trail.

Steve Bruce has also admitted his interest in free agent Kevin Nolan, who has left West Ham.

While it could be a busy day at Hull, further activity is also likely at Hillsborough, with the Owls completing their 15th incoming deal of the summer yesterday by signing Crystal Palace midfielder Barry Bannan on a free transfer.

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The Scottish international, 25, has signed a one-year deal after completing a medical last week.

The Owls are now focusing their energies on landing a striker, with Vydra and Norwich City forward Gary Hooper both targets, while several players could leave S6.

With Watford seeking to trim the number of overseas players in their squad – mindful of Premier League rules which stipulate that 25-man squads submitted after the closure of the transfer window must contain eight home-grown players – Vydra is tipped to head out.

Wednesday made a double raid on the Hornets at the weekend, signing Fernando Forestieri and Daniel Pudil.

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Meanwhile, Forestieri, also linked with a move to Leeds, has spoken of his upset at being told he was free to leave Watford, while revealing he was in the dark over interest from Elland Road.

Forestieri, who has signed a four-year deal at Hillsborough, said: “I’m very sad. I didn’t want to leave Watford.

“One week before pre-season the owner said he wants me and that I can be a big player here. At the last moment they change the idea.

“It broke my heart. I cried in the night because my heart is broke. I didn’t want to leave.”

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Leeds were also linked strongly with Forestieri ahead of his switch to the Owls, only for Whites owner Massimo Cellino to end the club’s interest on Friday, stating that the player “didn’t have the right mentality”.

But Forestieri claimed he did not speak to Leeds.

He said: “(Watford consultant sporting executive) Nicola Salerno has worked before at Leeds.

“One day I came into the training ground and he told me, ‘Nando, you need to go there’. I said, “Wait, the Leeds owner has not talked with my agent.

“I checked by Twitter after training and everyone is saying I’m going to Leeds. I knew nothing.

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“No one speak to me or the agent, from Leeds. I’m disappointed and sad as Leeds fans were angry with me on Twitter. I’m sorry for everyone but this is the mistake of the director.”

A number of Yorkshire clubs are likely to be active today, but the main development at Huddersfield is expected to be a particularly unwelcome one with Jacob Butterfield tipped to finalise his move to Derby, whose persistence appears to have paid off.

The Rams, who have seen several bids turned down by Town, have upped their valuation to £4m with add-ons, which would be a major profit on a player who cost £750,000 12 months ago.

Injury-hit striker James Vaughan, told that his contract which expires next summer will not be renewed, could also complete a mooted move to Wigan.

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It is the loss of Butterfield which will be most painful to Town supporters, with the club working on some inward activity to help compensate for his expected loss.

Nottingham Forest winger Jamie Paterson, 23, is one target Town are chasing with several other names including Barnsley’s Conor Hourihane and Bournemouth’s Lee Camp also linked with potential moves.