Everton sold Youssef Chermiti to Rangers over the summer and the striker has made a slow start at Ibrox.
Spare a thought for Kevin Thelwell as he attempts to turn Rangers around.
Thelwell decided to leave Everton earlier in 2025 and quickly moved to become sporting director at Rangers.
This season has been a nightmare for the Gers, and Thelwell’s position went from bad to worse over the weekend.
As if the hiring and firing of Russell Martin wasn’t bad enough, a deal to appoint Kevin Muscat collapsed to leave Thelwell in a disastrous position.
Former Rangers striker Youssef Chermiti.
Photo by Damjan Zibert/Soccrates/Getty Images
Kevin Thelwell defends signing Youssef Chermiti from Rangers
Rangers have now appointed Danny Rohl as their new manager, but Thelwell remains under huge pressure.
One major criticism has been the signing of Youssef Chermiti, as Thelwell raided Everton for the striker.
Rangers paid £8million to sign Chermiti just two years after Thelwell signed him for Everton.
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Thelwell is clearly a big fan of the former Sporting striker, but he has struggled at Ibrox.
Chermiti has failed to score in his first seven Rangers games and has looked below par in his 271 minutes of action.
The 21-year-old has some potential, but we never really saw it at Everton, and Rangers fans are already unconvinced.
Thelwell is sticking by his man, though, telling the Daily Record that he thinks Chermiti will come good.
Thelwell believes that Rohl can unlock Chermiti’s quality and ultimately justify the fee paid to Everton.
“Yes, very much so,” said Thelwell when asked whether he stands by Chermiti.
“I’m sure Danny can get the best out of him. He is a very young player,” he added.
Youssef Chermiti has received lofty praise at Rangers
Rangers fans are unsure about Chermiti, and his slow start in Glasgow mirrors his lack of goals at Everton.
Former manager Martin was a big fan of Chermiti, though, and offered enormous praise in September.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Martin hailed Chermiti as a ‘seriously talented player’ and would prove to be a ‘brilliant investment’.
“It’s a long-term investment for the football club, I think it will be a brilliant investment for the football club,” said Martin.
“I think he’ll do extremely well for us. There won’t be any expectation on him in here, I’m sure externally maybe that changes. He wants to learn, he wants to grow and he wants to help the team.
“Youssef has tools that you’d really want in a number nine. Good athleticism. Great kid. Wants to learn. Brilliant record at youth level. He hasn’t really had the chance he probably wanted at first-team level yet. Obviously, in the toughest league in the world as well.
“We’ll judge him on here and now and what he does for us. We’re really excited to have him in because he’s a seriously talented player and also there was a lot of interest throughout Europe in top leagues for him,” he added.
Chermiti has yet to live up to that billing, and Everton will ultimately feel that cashing in on the Portuguese forward was very good business.