EXCLUSIVE: The real deal: Rangers DID get £8m-plus offer for star Jelavic Read more:

[ian1964 10,514]

Sportsmail can confirm that Rangers were offered £8million for Nikica Jelavic just hours before the transfer deadline last week in a deal that could have risen to £10m with add-ons.

 

We have seen emails directly relating to the transfer proposal â?? the subject of widespread scepticism when made public at the time â?? that was put to Rangers.

 

Asked to identify what kind of figure might tempt the Ibrox club to do business, those negotiations were followed by a further email from a third party, acting for an English club, detailing an £8m proposal with â??incentivised paymentsâ??.

 

Those related to a further £1m, dependent on the performance of the strikerâ??s new club, another £500,000 linked to individual appearances and one last success-related £500,000 slice to take the total to £10m.

 

Rangers rejected the deal put to them on behalf of the would-be buyers â?? who Sportsmail have agreed not to identify â?? at around 7pm last Wednesday.

 

It was understood that business could not be concluded on the final day of the August transfer window as it left no time for Ally McCoist to line up any kind of replacement.

Jelavic remains one of Rangersâ?? most marketable assets and was a wanted man during last monthâ??s transfer period.

 

Leicester City had tabled a £6.5m bid that was turned down. Foxes boss Sven Goran Eriksson, heavily backed by Thai owner Vichai Raksriaksorn, was later critical of the way the offer became public knowledge â?? with the finger being pointed at Ibrox.

 

It is also believed that Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish was interested as attacking players like David Ngog, Raul Meireles and Joe Cole left Anfield â?? before Craig Bellamy returned to Merseyside.

 

Rangers refused to comment when advised of the information passed to Sportsmail from a third party.

 

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell addressed a press conference the day after the close of the transfer window and appeared to mock reports that a £9m bid for Jelavic had been turned down by Ibrox owner Craig Whyte.

 

â??We have had a lot of interest and we have not encouraged that interest,â?? said Lawwell last week, when asked about Celtic striker Gary Hooper. â??Last night, we got a £29m offer for Hooper, from an unknown agent, from an unknown club from another universe.â??

 

After the window closed, Rangers boss McCoist expressed his relief that Jelavic, as well as captain Steven Davis, remained in situ at Ibrox.

 

Alex McLeish has confirmed that Aston Villa were warned off making any bid to take Davis back south â?? after he made an inquiry.

 

â??I am delighted that Nikica and Steven are both staying,â?? said McCoist.

 

â??There was no pressure to sell either, but the club received a serious offer from Leicester for Nikica. The fact it was rejected sends out a clear message to all Rangers fans and I have no doubt the players we have are more than capable of defending the SPL title.â??

 

Eriksson was not impressed with the bulletins coming out of Ibrox last week. The Swede told the Leicester Mercury: â??It might be true we made a bid, but we donâ??t understand why they (Rangers) went public. It is an invitation for clubs to tell other clubs what is going on.â??

 

McCoist, meanwhile, is hopeful Kyle Bartley will be back in action in four weeks after the on-loan Arsenal defender underwent a successful hernia operation.

 

Director of football Gordon Smith feared the centre-half would be out for six weeks, but McCoist is more optimistic about the playerâ??s recovery.

 

McCoist told http://www.rangers.co.uk: â??Itâ??s a big disappointment for Kyle that heâ??s out for a bit longer, but I had a good chat with him last night after his operation and heâ??s upbeat.

 

â??He was obviously in a bit of discomfort and pain, but he still managed to ask me if there was any possibility we could put the Celtic game back.

 

â??I thought that was wonderful and it sums up big Kyle. He doesnâ??t want to miss any training or any games.â??

 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2034904/Rangers-did-receive-8m-bid-Nikica-Jelavic.html#ixzz1XJEhdbhW

[chilledbear 16]

They'll still not believe it.

 

In complete denial over Rangers, all they want is our demise.

[Bluedell 5,376]

Given the emails were with a third party, it sounds as if it was more of an enquiry than a formal bid.

[der Berliner 3,363]

... the transfer proposal — the subject of widespread scepticism when made public at the time — ...

 

No. Not widespread. Just one bampot from beyond the Clyde babbled some rubbish and the press followed suit, including our great grand old dame, the BBC. Tossers the lot of them!

[Bluedell 5,376]

No. Not widespread. Just one bampot from beyond the Clyde babbled some rubbish and the press followed suit, including our great grand old dame, the BBC. Tossers the lot of them!

 

There were a few on here, including myself who didn't believe it. I'm sure you're right about the last part though.

[GovanAllan 0]

Why are so many Rangers fans so quick to jump down the throat of their own club no matter the evidence, while at the same time back that shower of shite from across the town.

[Bluedell 5,376]

Why are so many Rangers fans so quick to jump down the throat of their own club no matter the evidence, while at the same time back that shower of shite from across the town.

 

So you believe everything that comes out from the club?

 

There was no formal offer from another club and the agent may have been trying to get a deal in place before tyrning round to the other club to see if they would be interested. If the club were that serious then why didn't they contact Rangers directly to negotiate given how close it was to the deadline? Going through a third party is only going to waste valuable time.

 

Who is backing Celtic?

[GovanAllan 0]

No I don't, but will give them the benefit of the doubt before I give that shower the pleasure of watching us arguing amongst ourselves again. If the offer was placed through a third party it's still an offer, it may just have been a simple look would you go for 8mill before they make a formal approach they want to keep it very quiet especially after seeing the Leicester bid made public.

 

Could also mean we said no for the moment because no time to get anyone in but come back in January and we will do business.

[GovanAllan 0]

No I don't, but will give them the benefit of the doubt before I give that shower the pleasure of watching us arguing amongst ourselves again. If the offer was placed through a third party it's still an offer, it may just have been a simple look would you go for 8mill before they make a formal approach they want to keep it very quiet especially after seeing the Leicester bid made public.

 

Could also mean we said no for the moment because no time to get anyone in but come back in January and we will do business.

[djbroxybear 0]

If 8m + was offered and we had time to get a replacement Jelavic would have been sold.