Hull City are set to bolster their forward line in the January transfer window after agreeing a fee with Everton for the signature of striker Nikica Jelavic.
Tigers boss Steve Bruce has stressed the need to add some firepower to his squad this month as they have only managed 22 goals in 20 Premier League outings so far this season – six of those coming in one game against Fulham on December 28.
On-loan Danny Graham and Yannick Sagbo have netted just three times between them, while Sone Aluko is close to a return from injury which has ruled him out for a spell.
Jelavic, who played alongside Aluko at Glasgow Rangers, has struggled for first-team football at Goodison Park under Roberto Martinez because of loan man Romelu Lukaku’s form for the Toffees this season.
The 28-year-old Croatia international has pedigree, though, as he finished Everton’s top scorer on 11 goals in the 2011-12 season, despite the fact he only joined in a £5million deal from Rangers in the January window two years ago.
Jelavic has gone on to bag 21 goals in 69 games on Merseyside and that appears to have alerted Bruce who seems set to break the club’s current £5.25million transfer record for Tom Huddlestone to take him to the KC Stadium.
The Tigers are currently six points clear of the relegation places and the acquisition of Jelavic would almost certainly give them the extra edge in attack that could help them secure a top-10 finish in their first season back in the top flight.
Link Dafabet