Rangers making ‘late attempt’ to sign Premier League forward to replace Chermiti

Rangers have been forced into an unwanted striker hunt after a serious injury wrecked Youssef Chermiti’s start to the campaign.

The Portuguese forward damaged his ACL during Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Hibs at Ibrox. He went down after colliding with the advertising boards in the first half and was seen leaving in a boot and knee brace.

Rangers have confirmed that Chermiti will miss a significant period. With an ACL injury, however, Derek McInnes knows he must plan without the 22-year-old for several months.

The timing could hardly have been crueller.

Just hours before kick-off, news emerged that Rangers had rejected a major approach from Galatasaray. The Ibrox club had chosen to retain him, only to lose Chermiti to a serious injury in their next match.

REUTERS/Russell Cheyne

McInnes is not left empty-handed. Lawrence Shankland and Bojan Miovski are proven scorers in Scotland, while Ryan Naderi provides another central option.

Yet Chermiti brought something different, and his unavailability leaves the squad vulnerable if another forward suffers a problem during a busy domestic and European schedule.

A deal for PSV winger Couhaib Driouech would add pace out wide, but it would not replace a number nine. Rangers need somebody capable of contributing quickly, without blocking Naderi’s development or creating an overloaded attack once Chermiti returns.

Ryan Oné was the first striker linked after the diagnosis.

Reports claimed Sheffield United had rejected an initial loan approach, although subsequent information from Scotland insisted Rangers were not pursuing the 20-year-old.

Now another name has moved into view.

Rangers making ‘late attempt’ for Leeds striker Joe Gelhardt

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has claimed that Rangers are making a late push for Leeds forward Joe Gelhardt and hope to beat several rival clubs to his signature.

The interest is not entirely new. Rangers tracked Gelhardt earlier in the summer after his productive loan at Hull City, but Chermiti’s injury has turned a possible opportunity into a far more urgent conversation.

Gelhardt scored 14 Championship goals in 39 league appearances for Hull last season.

The 24-year-old is back at Leeds with one year remaining on his contract, while Hull have been trying to bring him back permanently and Wrexham have also been linked.

Rangers already have penalty-box finishers in Shankland and Miovski, but Gelhardt would offer sharp movement and the ability to operate around either man.

With Hull advancing their own talks and other clubs circling, Rangers must now decide how hard to push.