Rapid Vienna have snubbed a 4.2-million-Euro offer by Glasgow Rangers for striker Nikica Jelavic.Austrian sports press revealed today (Fri) that the 32-time Bundesliga title winners rejected the Scottish league champs' improved offer in talks held in Vienna yesterday.Asked about the outcome of the meeting, Rapid executive manager Alfred Hörtnagl announced: "We have come to no agreement."Hörtnagl hit the headlines earlier this week by claiming that Rapid had not received any official offers for the Croat national team star from any club - after newspapers speculated several months that Blackburn Rovers, Everton and other sides have signalised interest in the striker.Rapid bosses reportedly hope for higher bids from Rangers or other teams as the search for an equivalent replacement continues, Austrian Times has reported.Former Sturm Graz star Klemen Lavric was recently handled as a possible successor of Jelavic as the key man in Peter Pacult's attacking line-up. The Slovenian is a free agent after failing to agree with Sturm bosses over an extension of his contract.Rapid officials are said to have fears some supporters may trigger a revolt if they sell Jelavic before the transfer window shuts on 31 August. Club bosses came under fire last summer when they flogged Erwin Hoffer and Stefan Maierhofer, the team's infamous striking force who found the net 50 times between them in 36 league matches.Maierhofer recently joined German second league club MSV Duisburg on loan after failing to make an impact at Premiership side Wolverhampton Wanderers, while Germany's 1. FC Kaiserslautern snatched up Hoffer for one season from Serie A giants SSC Napoli who were about to throw him on the scrapheap.Jelavic initially joined Rapid on loan from Belgian side Zulte Waregem two years ago before he signed a permanent deal ahead of the 2009/2010 season. Rapid reportedly only coughed up around 200,000 Euros to procure the player's services.The 24-year-old star of the team said he was unaware of Rapid having met Rangers for talks. "I will only focus on the match against Sturm Graz (this Sunday). I want to lead Rapid to victory," he said.Some media recently claimed that the striker's performances suffered from the rumours in the first few matches of the season due to several missed chances to score. But Jelavic launched an incredible comeback to form by netting twice in last Tuesday's 3-0 victory against Bulgarian club PFC Beroe Stara Zagora in the second leg of the third knockout qualification round for this season's UEFA Europa League group stage.
Source: Croatian Times Online News
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