What Ibrox bosses expect as Rangers turn down big-money Youssef Chermiti bid

Rangers surprised many by rejecting a £22million bid from Galatasaray for Youssef Chermiti.

The Portugal Under-21 international joined the Gers last summer from Everton but has had a mixed spell in G51.

While the 22-year-old has made a name for himself as a big-game player, his inconsistency has frustrated supporters.

The Ibrox hierarchy had an opportunity to cash in on Chermiti after Galatasaray's record offer, but opted against it.

Last season, the centre-forward was the Glaswegian outfit's leading goalscorer.

Now, Derek McInnes has Lawrence Shankland at his disposal and the Govan side can arguably afford to sell the Portuguese star for the right price.

What Rangers must do next in Youssef Chermiti transfer saga

Galatasaray have their eyes on Chermiti, but it remains to be seen whether they can get a deal over the line.

The Gers signed the striker for an initial fee of £8m and he has been able to show glimpses of his talent in Scotland.

Daily Record journalist Andy Newport believes the Light Blues are anticipating a better proposal from the 26-time Super Lig champions for the centre-forward.

The Glaswegian outfit have been told not to hesitate in sanctioning Chermiti's departure if the club from Turkiye return to the table.

For that to happen, the Govan side will certainly need to hope the injury the attacker picked up at Ibrox against Hibernian isn't serious.

Speaking to the Daily Record on 10 August, Newport said, "Ibrox bosses expect the Istanbul giants will come back in again with a higher offer. And if they do, they should grab it with both hands.

"Chermiti has promise, but he can also be erratic. McInnes needs a far more reliable frontman."

Where Derek McInnes can spend possible Youssef Chermiti funds

Rangers have spent around £16m on new signings this transfer window, but still arguably need a lot more quality in their squad.

Andrew Cavenagh will certainly want to recoup some money before reinvesting it into the squad, with Chermiti and possibly Nicolas Raskin the perfect candidates to sell right now.

The first order of business should be to strengthen the backline, with another right-back, central defender and left-back clearly needed.

McInnes picked Vanja Dragojevic over Ross McCrorie and Dujon Sterling in the 2-1 loss to Hibernian, which says everything about the current defensive crisis.

The Glaswegian outfit should also be looking to add more creativity out wide, something Mikey Moore provided last season.

Money from Chermiti's sale could arguably go a long way in building a competitive squad for McInnes in Govan.