Liverpool head chase for Jelavic

Liverpool are in pole position to sign Nikica Jelavic as English interest in the Croatia striker intensifies, BBC Scotland understands.

Premier League rivals Fulham and Championship outfit West Ham have been in contact about the 26-year-old.

Responding to interest from West Ham, Rangers boss Ally McCoist said: "They've not made an official bid.

"The reported amount would not be enough to meet the demands of the owner - £6m is not nearly enough."

Rangers rejected a £6.5m offer from Leicester City for Jelavic in the summer and claimed they also rebuffed a £9m approach from an unnamed club shortly before the closure of the transfer window.

The player himself later revealed that he had turned down overtures from Turkish outfit Fenerbahce but admitted ambitions to play in England's top flight.

He has recently been linked with Liverpool and QPR before it emerged that informal talks had been held with Sam Allardyce's West Ham.

McCoist, though, insisted that no bids - from West Ham or any other club - had been tabled since the January window opened, despite much speculation about the striker's future.

"I know Sam very well and I think, if there was a real interest, he and I would have spoken, but there has been no official bid made and I certainly haven't spoken to anyone about it," he said.

Jelavic began his career with Hajduk Split before moving on to Zulte Waregem then Rapid Vienna.

He joined Rangers for £4m in August 2010, when he signed a four-year contract, and is the Scottish champions' top scorer this season with 17 goals.

Source: BBC

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