Rangers striker Chermiti faces months out with ACL injury after Galatasaray bid rejected

Rangers have confirmed that striker Youssef Chermiti will be out for a significant period after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during Sunday’s Scottish Premiership defeat to Hibernian at Easter Road.

The 22-year-old Portuguese frontman was stretchered off during the match and later underwent assessment, with the club confirming the worst fears for both player and supporters. ACL injuries typically require six to twelve months of recovery, meaning Chermiti is likely to miss the remainder of the season.

Rangers said in a statement: “Following assessment, striker Youssef Chermiti suffered an ACL injury in Sunday’s match with Hibernian. Youssef will be out of action for a significant period of time. Everyone at Rangers is with him as he begins his recovery.”

Blow comes after big-money bid rejected

The injury lands at a particularly awkward moment for the Ibrox club, coming shortly after Rangers rebuffed a club-record offer from Turkish side Galatasaray for the former Everton forward. The bid, reported to be worth around £22million, would have represented a significant windfall for Rangers had it been accepted.

Instead, having held firm on their valuation of the striker, Rangers now find themselves without his services for the foreseeable future and with no return on that decision in the form of transfer income. Chermiti had established himself as a key part of manager Derek McInnes’s attacking plans since arriving from Everton.

McInnes faces search for cover up front

With Chermiti sidelined for the long haul, attention will now turn to how McInnes reshapes his forward line before the transfer window closes. Reports suggest the Rangers boss will look to bring in additional attacking cover to fill the void left by his injured striker, with the club already having shown they are unwilling to sanction outgoing deals for key men without adequate replacements lined up.

The timing is a further blow for a Rangers squad already navigating a difficult opening to the campaign, and one that adds fresh urgency to their business in the closing weeks of the window. Fans and staff alike have been quick to send messages of support to Chermiti as he begins what is likely to be a lengthy rehabilitation process.

Read more: Rangers stumble again as Szmyt double sinks McInnes in Poland

Sources

• dailymail.com
• Daily Record

This is an independent report written from the facts across the sources named above.