The striker joined Rangers for £8million from Everton back in September, with up to £2m in add-ons also included in the deal.

Chermiti has often struggled for the Bears, although his brace in the Old Firm derby on 3 January bought him some leeway with the fans.

However, after missing a brilliant chance in the 1-1 draw with Motherwell on Wednesday, supporters were incredibly critical of the Portuguese forward.

With Rangers facing league leaders Hearts at Ibrox on Sunday, Danny Rohl can’t afford to start Chermiti, who perhaps is already looking at a way out.

Youssef Chermiti should have been sent out on loan in January

Chris Jack reported on 27 January that Fenerbahce made a £13m bid for the Portuguese forward.

The Bears instantly rejected it, and they view the 21-year-old as someone who isn’t for sale.

However, given his latest miss at Fir Park, it seems to be a questionable decision to turn down that amount of money for a misfiring striker, especially as his track record before joining Rangers wasn’t impressive at all.

• Chermiti scored six goals in 17 matches for Sporting B and Sporting U19
• He scored three goals in 22 appearances for the Sporting first team
• Following his move to England, Chermiti didn’t score a single goal for Everton in 24 appearances

In Sunday’s print edition of the Scottish Mail, journalist Gary Keown stated that a loan spell would have been the best option for Chermiti, with alternative ways to get money back needed.

He said: “Issues with Naderi midweek or not, there is little justification for continuing with Chermiti in a starting role up front.

“His miss at Fir Park, one-on-one with the goalkeeper, with his team already a goal to the good, has to be the final straw.

“Yes, the Portuguese turned in a fantastic display in the Old Firm win at Parkhead, but he has done next to nothing beforehand and ever since.

“He should have been punted out on loan in January in the hope that a bit of form in a different league might have tempted someone, somewhere, to cough up a hefty chunk of the £8m it cost to bring him in from Everton.

“As it is, Rangers are going to have to come up with another plan to get their money back. Putting him in their team, though, is no longer an option.”

While it’s too late for Rohl to send him out on loan, it’s clear that the German head coach may have overestimated his number nine’s ability.

Ryan Naderi has to start vs Hearts

With Chermiti playing poorly and Bojan Miovski also out of form, Ryan Naderi has to be the man to start up front on Sunday.

Rangers reached an agreement to sign Naderi for £5.2million from Hansa Rostock on deadline day.

After impressing on his debut against Kilmarnock, the German striker scored two goals on his first start in Govan in the 8-0 demolition of Queen’s Park.

It was certainly questionable for Rohl to drop him for the Motherwell clash, and it would seem completely baffling if he is left out versus Hearts.

Naderi is a huge aerial threat, and one of the ways Rangers may be able to break down Hearts’ stubborn defence is from crosses and set-piece situations.

The Bears spent big money on the 22-year-old, and every supporter at Ibrox will want to see him, not Chermiti, in the starting line-up.

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