Rangers reject Lyon’s €18m bid for Chermiti as striker stays put

Rangers have made it clear they have no intention of cashing in on Youssef Chermiti this summer, turning down an opening offer from Lyon that could have climbed to €18 million. The Ligue 1 side had hoped to lure the 22-year-old away from Ibrox after just one season, with French outlet Foot Mercato reporting that Lyon submitted an initial €14m bid with a further €4m in add-ons. But the Scottish giants have informed Lyon’s head of recruitment, Benjamin Charrier, that Chermiti is not for sale at that price. Chermiti enjoyed a strong debut campaign in Glasgow, netting 15 goals in 41 appearances. His form attracted interest from PSV Eindhoven as well, but Rangers are holding firm. The club’s record sale remains Calvin Bassey’s €23m move to Ajax in 2022, and it would likely take a bid in that region to force a rethink. Rangers have been busy reshaping their squad under new head coach Derek McInnes, who replaced Danny Rohl. Ivor Pandur arrived from Hull for €7m to take the No.1 jersey, while Ross McCrorie returned for €1.3m. Lawrence Shankland and Dan Neil joined on Bosman deals, and Ben Godfrey came in on loan from Atalanta. Outgoings include Jack Butland’s €3.5m move to Hull, Ben Davies leaving on a free, Bailey Rice’s loan to Kilmarnock, and club legend James Tavernier departing at the end of his contract. For now, Chermiti remains a Rangers player, and Lyon will have to go back to the drawing board if they want to land their striker target.