The Portuguese hitman struck 15 goals last season but still polarises the support and faces increased competition following the arrival of Lawrence Shankland.This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
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Rangers Head Coach Danny Rohl with Youssef Chermiti of Rangers at full-time.
Rangers v Hibernian, William Hill Scottish Premiership, Football, Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow, Scotland, UK – 13 May 2026
Questions have hung over Youssef Chermiti almost as heavily as the eye-watering transfer fee that saw the striker arrive at Rangers last summer.
Initially it was what convinced the American owners at Ibrox to splash £8m on a frontman who had failed to score a single goal for Everton in 25 appearances?
Then it was how long should Rangers persevere with a striker that found the net just once in his first 18 games for the club?
And latterly, after a bit of form, how can a guy net 14 times against top six sides including four against both Celtic and Hearts yet only score once against teams in the bottom six?
That run of goals in the second half of the campaign has also raised questions on Merseyside where, with big money signing from Villarreal Thierno Barry polarising punters, some Toffees reckon they should have stuck with Chermiti.
Former Scotland striker Graeme Sharp has heard the arguments.
And the Glaswegian knows exactly what the pressure on a young striker arriving at Everton feels like after his goal-laden 11-year spell at Goodison in the 80s and 90s.
But with Lawrence Shankland’s arrival at Rangers now throwing yet more question marks over where Chermiti fits in next season, Sharp has a query or two of his own for the Portuguese hitman.
How much do you want it? And how hungry are you to become a hero to the Ibrox faithful?
Sharp has no doubt the 22-year-old has talent. He reckons he has the ability to be a regular goalscorer too.
But with Shankland, Ryan Naderi and Bojan Miovski all vying with Chermiti for a starting spot up front in Danny Rohl’s side next season, he says he is going to have to prove it – and quick.
Sharp said: “The boy has got ability but it’s how he sees his next step.
“Does he want to stay at Rangers and be successful and be a hero like Ally McCoist?
“He’s came good at the end of the season and scored some important goals and for him it’s important that he hits in the new season running.
“Start scoring goals and I think Rangers may well have a player there.
“But if he starts the season poorly and pressure builds..
“I always stress that, to play for a big team it’s tough and it’s not just what you do on the pitch. It’s mentality.
“You’ve got to have the right mentality as a player to make it a big club.
“The boy’s shown signs that he’s a good player but he needs to do it in every game.
“Show us what you’ve got. If you don’t score fine but if you can hold the ball up and bring people into play that’s what we want you to do.
“It’s a big season ahead for him but the signs are there that he can be a good player.
“I’d ask, how much do you want it?
“Do you want to be top or do you want to just muddle along near the bottom or in the middle?
“If he wants to be top with the right attitude he’s got a chance.”
Chermiti arrived on deadline day last summer amid a turbulent time for Rangers news owners and soon-to-be-sacked boss Russell Martin.
Sharp added: “Sometimes the club can be too big, especially for young guys coming over and not really knowing the country and the way English or Scottish football is.
“It’s difficult for them and going into Rangers and the way things were with the board and the turmoil, it wasn’t a nice time to play football.
“Especially if you’re a new signing and not producing – you’re going to get battered.”
Sharp remains Everton’s second top goalscorer of all time having netted 160 times in 447 games between 1980 and 1991.
He won the English title twice, the FA Cup and the European Cup Winners’ Cup at Goodison.
But he knows the weight of the Everton jersey on young strikers.
And he is well aware swapping the royal blue on Merseyside for the royal blue at Ibrox carries no less of a burden.
That’s why he’s keen to see if Chermiti – who failed to score in two seasons at Everton after arriving on a bumper £11.5m move from Sporting Lisbon – properly makes the most of his second chance.
Sharp said: “It’s demanding and the fans at Everton are really demanding.
“If you come in and do well they’ll get behind you, if you struggle they’re on your back and it’s whether you’re strong enough.
“I found it myself when I was growing up.
“Look at the boy now (Thierno) Barry who’s at Everton who’s struggling.
“All of a sudden he’s been catapulted into this cauldron where you have to perform.
“With Everton fans you know you have to be at it right from the start.
“If you haven’t hit the ground running and get a little bit of criticism it’s how they react to that.
“Chermiti came in, showed promise, but couldn’t really get into the team on a regular basis.
“He’s obviously looked at Rangers coming in and saying ‘we’ll give you the opportunity’.
“Some people are trying to compare Chermiti to Barry and Beto now – Everton fans asking ‘should we have let him go? Should we have kept him?’
“He’s done well at Rangers but if you go back to my generation, to be a centre forward you need to be tough, aggressive, have running ability, tackling, passion.
“I don’t think that’s what’s needed nowadays, the game’s changed and it’s a different way people look at things.
“But at the end of the day you’ll still get judged on the goals you score.
“I got as much enjoyment out of making goals as I did scoring them but I think Chermitti is a goal scorer so he’ll be judged on that.
“It’s whether these young guys can live up to these expectations.”
Meanwhile, Sharp has urged Nathan Patterson to use the World Cup to relaunch his club career.
The Scotland right back has only made 66 appearances for Everton since his £12million switch from Rangers four-and-a-half years ago.
Injuries and four changes of manager since haven’t helped his cause.
But with Scotland set to take the biggest stage in world football in the next few weeks, Sharp reckons Patterson can show Toffees boss David Moyes what he’s all about.
Otherwise he can put himself in the shop window. The 24-year-old was loosely linked with a move back to Ibrox as a replacement for James Tavernier last month.
Nathan Patterson of Everton (Image: Getty Images)
And Sharp said: “If I’m being brutally honest I think he’s struggled a little bit and I don’t think the injuries have helped him as, obviously, he hasn’t had a continuous run in the team.
“The manager’s playing Jake O’Brien who’s a centre back at right back and he’s done well so it’s been hard for Nathan.
“If he stays injury free and gets a run of games, I think he’ll do okay.
“He’s been unfortunate. The changes of managers as well haven’t helped him.
“It’s been a struggle.
“He’ll be looking at this as an ideal opportunity to either, a – show David Moyes he’s ready to play or, b – he’s in the shop window.
“I know there’s been rumours about Rangers again but for Nathan, it’s not been a great season.
“But what an opportunity.
“He could be on the sunbed somewhere else, you’re now in the World Cup finals – wow, I know what I would want to do.”
* Graeme Sharp was speaking to promote a friendly between Newcastle United and Everton at Edinburgh’s iconic Scottish Gas Murrayfield on 12 August. Tickets available now at Ticketmaster.