Everton manager David Moyes will burn the midnight oil to bolster squad with Rangers striker Nikica Jelavic the top target

Jan 31 2012 by David Prentice, Liverpool Echo

EVERTON will burn the midnight oil tonight in a bid to bolster David Moyes’ squad before the transfer window closes.

The Blues are trying to land Glasgow Rangers goal machine Nikica Jelavic, with the Croatian star believed to have told Ibrox boss Ally McCoist that he wants to move to Goodison.

And Goodison officials will carry on working even after the final whistle of tonight’s clash with Manchester City to try and improve the squad.

Blues boss Moyes hopes that won’t be his only signing.

“I would still hope that maybe I could get another couple in,” said Moyes, who has already secured the signatures of Darron Gibson and Landon Donovan on-loan since the transfer window opened in January.

But he refused to speculate on specific names.

“I can’t talk about players at other clubs. It’s not right,” he added. “I never talk about players at other clubs. I didn’t like it when I was a player and I kept hearing there were other centre-halfs coming in to take my position. So I wouldn’t talk about players at other clubs.

“You’ll just need to wait until midnight and if there’s anything happening we’ll let you know.”

Moyes explained that the distraction of the visit of Premier League leaders Manchester City to Goodison Park tonight would not affect the club’s ability to conduct any transfer business.

“It’s a great football club with great staff and great secretaries so I’m sure if anything happens they’ll all be ready to do it.

“With it being a matchday shouldn’t make it any more difficult,” he added. “There’s other people at the club if there’s any business to be done who I’m sure would be there to do it.

“They don’t desperately need me. It will be eight o’clock by the time the game kicks off so there would be very little time to go anyway.”

Jelavic is Everton’s main target, with the Blues prepared to use all of their Diniyar Bilyaletdinov transfer fee to secure the signature of Rangers’ top scorer.

But the financially troubled Scots are asking for £8m and the Blues will have to conduct some hard bargaining if they are to land the 26-year-old.

If the Jelavic deal cannot be concluded in time, Moyes also has a number of loan options up his sleeve.

He is likely to have no new faces available for the visit of Barclays Premier League leaders Manchester City, with injured stars Phil Jagielka, Sylvain Distin, Leon Osman and Jack Rodwell all still missing, joined by Victor Anichebe who has suffered a groin strain.

“Jack and Sylvain have started some training today but the game’s come too soon for them,” said Moyes.

“Jags and Ossie are still a way off, while James McFadden picked up a groin strain in training and was unavailable for the weekend, while Victor Anichebe will be out with a groin strain too.”

Manchester City also have a number of players missing, with Moyes adding: “Even Man City have in recent weeks struggled to field a team which they would want to put out which shows you how hard it is for clubs like us.

“Their form at the start of the season was scintillating. They were in breathtaking form when you went to watch them, and they still are in a lot of ways.

“But I just think that with a couple of boys away at the African Nations, and Kompany was out for a while, it sometimes can just take its toll on the squad.”