Former Everton defender and the manager of the Croatian national side Slaven Bilic has said that he is extremely pleased to see Croatian striker Nikica Jelavic succeed at the Merseyside. Everton manager David Moyes signed Nikica Jelavic from Rangers in the January transfer window. He has proved to be a massive inspiration for Everton in the second half of the season. Everton were struggling down at the bottom of the table during the early part of the campaign, but the hugely impressive form shown by the Croatian has propelled them to the seventh position in the table ahead of rivals Liverpool.

The striker has already got 10 goals since his arrival in January, and he has been able to overshadow the likes of £ 35 million Andy Carroll and £ 25 million Luis Suarez at Liverpool. Everton will be taking on Liverpool in the semi-final of the FA Cup on Saturday. It is expected that Nikica Jelavic will play a key role in the match given the way he has risen to prominence in recent weeks. Following the match, Everton will be making the trip to Old Trafford in order to face title challengers Manchester United. Bilic has said that Nikica Jelavic is worth around £ 20 million, but the fact that Everton managed to secure him for £ 5 million makes him one of the best bargains of the century

“I’ve known Nikica since he was a child and I watched Everton a lot, even before he came, and always imagined he’d suit them perfectly. I’ve always been quite sure about Nikica. They needed a guy who is not only a finisher but is also great in other areas and they have found a natural goalscorer who is great in the buildup,” said Bilic, who will be hoping for the same kind of performance from the striker at Euro 2012 for Croatia.