‘I Believe That’ – Journalist Reveals Possible Deal Route Rangers Could Have Taken | OneFootball

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Journalist Mark Guidi has revealed that Rangers had the chance to sign Youssef Chermiti on loan from Everton, without committing to buying him, but decided to go all in.

The Glasgow club splashed significant cash to sign the as yet unproven Chermiti from Everton on deadline day of the summer transfer window.

The £8m move, which has the potential to rise up to £10m, raised the eyebrows of former players, one of whom, Andy Walker, insisted that the club’s sporting director, Kevin Thelwell, will feel the heat if the 21-year-old fails to deliver.

Chermiti, who failed to break his goalscoring duck in an Everton shirt during his two-year stay, is still to prove he is worth such a big sum and he has just played 36 minutes of football for Rangers.

Amidst concerns about the fee Rangers paid for the Portuguese, a new revelation has been made by Guidi.

According to the journalist, the Gers did have the opportunity to sign Chermiti on loan first, without even committing to buying him.

Chermiti could have arrived at Ibrox on a loan deal.

Instead Thelwell and the Rangers recruitment team decided to go all in on Chermiti and splashed big cash for him.

“I think as well there was an option to take Chermiti on loan. I believe that a deal could have been done just for a loan first, without an obligation to buy”, Guidi said on Go Radio (1:12:08).

“They have obviously gone right in and you have got to trust their judgment.

“That is why they are in these roles and only time will tell.

“But for a club like Rangers to commit to an £8m, perhaps more, is a big commitment.

“It shows the faith that Andrew Cavenagh has in the hierarchy.

“But yes, I was told that they could have made it a loan deal first and foremost but decided to go all in.”

Rangers’ Scottish League Cup quarter-final win over Hibernian provided a reprieve for the under-pressure manager, Russell Martin, who has been getting stick from the disappointed fans following a poor start to the season.

The Gers meet Genk in the Europa League on Thursday night – preview here – and Martin will want another win to build momentum.