RangersMedia

Jelavic debut delay as permit panel haven't met Wednesday, 25 August 2010 09:13 Written by RangersMedia

It has emerged this morning that the debut of Nikica Jelavic may be held up and he may not feature at the weekend as Rangers have as yet to ask for a work permit panel to convene to make a decision about the Croatian international

A £4 million deal was struck at the end of last week, with the deal all but concluded apart from the work permit that the player will require.

The Herald today are claiming that he has not actually signed his four-year deal yet as if he did, and the permit was refused, Rangers would still be forced to honour his contract under Fifa rules.

The Herald reported, "There will be no hitch to the transfer but the earliest a panel could sit would be tomorrow. Once the appeal for a permit is approved the 24-year-old would have to present his passport and paperwork at the British Embassy in Croatia. The deal would then have to be registered with the SPL by 5pm on Friday in order for him to face St Johnstone."

There may yet be time for Jelavic to sign for Rangers for the weekend, but time will tell. This is particularly true considering it is believed that the player may struggle to obtain a work permit on the first sitting of the panel as he has not met the usual standards for obtaining one by not featuring in enough international games in the last two years.