English Premier League club West Ham United FC is reportedly on the way to sell Croatian striker Nikica Jelavic to the five-time Chinese Super League champions Guangzhou Evergrande as the Hammers attempt to raise funds for a potential purchase this January.
The Evening Standard reported that the 30-year-old forward "is poised to leave West Ham as they look to free up funds for a January signing" and that the Southern China Tigers are the favorites to sign him.
Jelavic joined West Ham with high hopes and expectations in September of last year from Football League Championship squad Hull City AFC. However, he only played 10 games in the Premier League so far for Slaven Bilić and have not scored any goals in the process.
The ex-Croatia international started in the Hammers' 1-0 victory over the Wolverhampton Wanderers, though, during their FA Cup match on Saturday and scored his team's lone goal of the match.
The said goal was Jelavic's first for the Irons in a total of 11 appearances in all competitions, but it was not enough "to convince the club to keep faith" on the Čapljina, Yugoslavia native.
Meanwhile, the Football Transfer Tavern indicated that West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan admitted that the "club won't have 'a penny to spend on wages' for new players, although a departure for Jelavic from Upton Park could potentially provide the funds needed for West Ham to make purchases this month, as they look to maintain their positive start to the season".
West Ham is presently in the fifth spot of the Premier League table with a 9-4-8 win-loss-draw record, eight points away from current league leaders Arsenal and Leicester City and a point above perennial powerhouse Manchester United.
The team had just won three straight games and are undefeated in their last eight matches.