NIKICA JELAVIC

Nikica Jelavic is a Croatian footballer, who plays as a striker for Premier League club Everton and the Croatia national team.

He started his career with Prva HNL side Hajduk Split in 2002, before moving to Belgian Pro League club Zulte Waregem in 2007. A year later, he moved to Austrian Bundesliga club Rapid Wien. In 2010 he was signed by Scottish club Rangers, with whom he won the Scottish Premier League and the Scottish League Cup before joining Everton in 2012.

On 31 January 2012, Jelavic signed a four-and-a-half-year deal with Everton for a fee of £5 million. He made his debut a few days later, as a second half substitute for Denis Stracqualursi, in a 1–1 draw against Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium.[24] On 10 March 2012, Jelavic scored his first goal for Everton in his first start for the club, scoring the only goal of the game in a 1–0 victory against Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park.

His first FA Cup goal was the opener in a 2–0 win against Sunderland in a quarter-final replay at the Stadium of Light. Jelavic scored his first brace for Everton against Norwich City in a 2–2 draw at Carrow Road in the Premier League. The following week he scored the opening goal in a 2–1 defeat by neighbours Liverpool, in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley Stadium.

Jelavic scored twice in a 4–4 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford, becoming the first Everton player to score in five sucessive away games since Duncan McKenzie in 1977–78. In scoring twice against Fulham he became the quickest player to reach 10 goals at Everton since Tom Browell in 1912.

Jelavic was named the Premier League Player of the Month for April 2012, the first Croatian to achieve this. Jelavic scored his 11th goal for Everton against Newcastle United on the final day of the season and finished the season as Everton’s top scorer both in the league and overall.