Youssef Chermiti shares what £42m star told him about Russell Martin before Rangers transfer
Youssef Chermiti has struggled for game time since he joined Rangers.
Chermiti joined Rangers for £10million from Everton, with the move being pushed through by sporting director Kevin Thelwell.
Thelwell has received criticism over the Chermiti transfer due to the amount of money being spent on an unproven striker who doesn't even start under Russell Martin.
Youssef Chermiti leans on Mateus Fernandes for advice on Russell Martin
Fernandes played with Chermiti when the pair were together at Sporting, and the midfielder played at Southampton whilst Martin was still the manager.
Mateus Fernandes left Southampton to join West Ham for £42m at the end of the transfer window.
In the Daily Record newspaper on 23 September, Chermiti spoke about the impact Fernandes had on his move to G51.
He said: "I had a meeting with Martin and I was really interested [about joining Rangers]."
"I knew some players who worked with Martin at Southampton, including Mateus Fernandes, who said some good things.
"I said to Martin how important it is for me to play, and it is nice they have confidence in me."
Fernandes praised Chermiti after his Rangers move was announced, with the Hammers midfielder saying Chermiti was "going to pop" at Ibrox.
The transfer raised eyebrows amongst Gers fans due to Chermiti's woeful scoring record at the senior level.
- Scored six goals in 17 matches for Sporting B and Sporting U19
- Scored three goals in 22 appearances for the Sporting first team
- Didn't score a single goal for Everton in 24 appearances
The £10m fee was excessive, and Rangers fans may have been proved right as the 21-year-old is yet to start a game for the Bears.
Youssef Chermiti must do more to start over Bojan Miovski
Miovski's goal against Hibernian showcased why Martin trusts him to lead the line at this moment in time.
The North Macedonia international is a proven goalscorer in the Scottish Premiership, having enjoyed two successful years at Aberdeen.
| Season | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 2022/23 | 42 | 18 | 3 |
| 2023/24 | 53 | 26 | 4 |
The 26-year-old has an abundance of experience in comparison to Chermiti, but there's a reason why Chermiti costs over double the price.
The Portuguese striker is clearly very talented; however, at a moment where Rangers are in crisis, the onus is on him to get himself starting and firing under Martin.
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