The debate on whether Youssef Chermiti was worth the £8m fee that Glasgow Rangers paid for him in the last summer transfer window rages on.
He has had some memorable moments in a Gers shirt, scoring a hat-trick against Hearts and scoring an overhead kick against Celtic, but the lack of consistency in his play is concerning.
In games against teams that are not Celtic or Hearts, the Portugal U21 international has scored one goal in 19 appearances in the Scottish Premiership this season.
Chermiti-Rangers-Aberdeen
The former Everton number nine has failed to score in any of his last 15 matches against teams that are outside of the top three in the division, after coming off the bench to miss a ‘big chance’ against Dundee United on Saturday.
Chermiti has scored nine goals in 24 games in the division so far, with eight of those goals coming against Celtic and Hearts, and he needs to show more consistency in front of goal to justify his price tag.
Rangers eyeing deal for Championship striker
The Portuguese marksman currently has Ryan Naderi and Bojan Miovski, who both scored against Dundee United, as competition for his place in the team at Ibrox.
Chermiti’s position in the side could be under even more pressure in the 2026/27 campaign because the Light Blues are reportedly looking to bolster their squad with another forward addition.
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According to journalist Alan Nixon’s Patreon, Glasgow Rangers are eyeing up a possible swoop for Leeds United centre-forward Joe Gelhardt in the summer transfer window.
The reporter claims that the Light Blues are monitoring his progress on loan at Championship side Hull City, and that they would have the edge over the Tigers in a race for his services due to the link 49ers link between Rangers and Leeds.
Joe-Gelhardt
Nixon adds that the Scottish giants also have more financial muscle than Hull and would be able to afford a deal for the striker, whilst the English team may have to earn promotion to the Premier League to finance a move.
It was reported in February that the Whites are due to demand a fee of up to £5m for the English striker, which means that the Gers could see a £5m offer accepted for his services if they decide to make a bid this summer.
Why Gelhardt would be a Chermiti upgrade for Rangers
If the Light Blues complete a deal to sign Gelhardt from Leeds ahead of Hull in the summer transfer window, Chermiti could end up finding himself on the bench more often than not.
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The 23-year-old star’s form on loan at Hull in the Championship this season suggests that he would arrive as an upgrade on Chermiti as a goalscorer.
Gelhardt is not the most physical forward, standing at 5 foot 9, but the Gers now have 6 foot 4 German giant Naderi to provide a physical outlet at the top end of the pitch, which would allow for a less physical and more mobile striker to play alongside him.
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The left-footed centre-forward has scored 13 goals in the Championship for Hull so far this season, which is four more goals than Chermiti has managed playing for a Rangers team that is competing for a league title.
Gelhardt has been incredibly efficient in front of goal for the Tigers, only missing seven ‘big chances’, whilst Chermiti has missed a whopping 15 ‘big chances’ in 24 league games for the Light Blues.
25/26 league season
Gelhardt
Chermiti
Appearances
The Leeds loanee, who was once described as a “human wrecking ball” by Jamie Redknapp, has also outperformed his xG by more than the Rangers striker, with his 13 goals coming from 10.53 xG.
These statistics suggest that Gelhardt would be far more clinical than Chermiti in front of goal for the Light Blues if they can agree a deal to sign him from the Premier League side ahead of next season.
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The English attacker’s creative numbers also suggest that he has the potential to offer more to the team as a creative threat, amassing three times as much xA in only nine more appearances than the Portuguese marksman.
Therefore, Rangers could improve their squad and add more firepower to Danny Rohl’s side by swooping to sign Gelhardt from Leeds for £5m this summer as an upgrade on Chermiti.
