Former Rangers director of football Gordon Smith says he ‘wouldn’t have brought’ Youssef Chermiti in on a free transfer amid the forward’s difficult start to life at Ibrox.
The Portuguese striker, who joined Rangers from Everton in a deal worth up to £10m this summer, has struggled to justify his hefty price tag so far, scoring just one goal in 11 appearances.
Smith says he was ‘shocked’ by Rangers’ decision to spend so much on a player, who became the most expensive Rangers signing since Tore Andre Flo’s arrival in 2000, and pointed to his goalscoring record at previous clubs.
Chermiti scored his only goal for Rangers last month, netting in a 3-1 victory over Kilmarnock, before registering an assist in the 1-0 win over Hibernian.
Gordon Smith Criticises Chermiti Signing
Smith, as quoted by Rangers Review, heavily criticised Rangers’ move to sign Chermiti this summer, saying ‘he was never worth’ the £10m the Ibrox side splashed out on the forward:
“I was shocked by the signing. I’ll be honest, and I’ve done scouting courses as well.
“One of the factors you’re looking at in a striker is goals scored. I wouldn’t have brought him in on a free transfer, never mind paid money for him, on his stats.
“I just couldn’t understand why they could possibly be interested in him. He might come good eventually, who knows? At that level, he was never worth it. That valuation was out of order.
“He has hardly played any games and his goalscoring record did not stack up. I couldn’t understand that signing whatsoever.”
Chermiti, who penned a four-year deal with Rangers in September, was well known by Ibrox sporting director Kevin Thelwell from their time together at Everton.
Thelwell helped the Toffees sign the 21-year-old from Sporting Lisbon in the summer of 2023, but Chermiti never established himself as a first-team regular at Goodison Park amid recurring injuries.
The Portugal U21 international failed to register a goal or assist in 24 appearances for Everton, with 22 of them coming in the Premier League.
He scored three goals for Sporting in 22 senior appearances before departing, all in his final season at the club in 2022/23, where he registered five goal contributions in the Portuguese league.
About the Author
