Rangers manager Danny Rohl has explained why the club turned down bids for Youssef Chermiti and Djeidi Gassama.
As revealed by the Rangers Review on Tuesday, the Ibrox outfit knocked back a £10m loan-to-buy offer from Monaco for Gassama and rebuffed Fenerbahce's approach for Youssef Chermiti, for a fee in the region of £13m.
Speaking from Porto's Estadio Dragao ahead of tomorrow's final Europa League group game, Rohl outlined why club chiefs rejected the ability to turn a profit on both players months after signing them, as he also discussed the fine line between player-trading and winning at Ibrox.
The club are still looking to make an addition at the top of the pitch with a move for Ryan Naderi stalling at present due to Rangers and Hansa Rostock remaining apart on the player's valuation. The Ibrox club have made an offer in the region of €3m.
Rohl said on the bids for Gassama and Chermiti: "First we take the positive that other clubs are interested in our players, but on the other side we will keep our best players. We have big goals this season and we’re in two competitions and we need our best players. We spoke about wanting to strengthen our squad and not make it weaker. We are very clear about what we want to do.
"You want to end the window stronger than you started and I will be happy when the window closes. We will have done our jobs and then we can focus on our games and focus on the group. My players are doing really well at the moment and we have done well to ignore all the rumours that are surrounding some of my players. We are focused on the next game and that is the most important thing."
Rohl has overseen a real overturn in the mood music surrounding Chermiti since arriving in late October. Much-maligned after an £8m move from Everton this summer, his double in the new year Old Firm and upturn in performance level, in line with the rest of the team, has resulted in Chermiti qualifying as a key component of this team - a line that would've felt very far away from the truth only months ago.
"In general, he’s worked from the very first day, and he’s worked hard. I had a conversation with him before the last time we played Hibs away," Rohl added.
"I told him it was just the beginning. He wanted to get better, he wanted to score and he wanted to work hard. He wanted to be a big part of the group and after his two goals against Celtic he knows he cannot rest. Tomorrow is a good start for him. He has a lot of skills, what you need in modern football.
"He has a good body, good acceleration and he’s very strong. He’s improved his link play between the lines and he can now press. He’s a target player for us, he has shown this in Europe when we come under pressure. If he continues this and scores goals and makes assists, then he will be in a good way. It’s all about effort, mindset and hard work and we will help him."
There has been plenty of surprise at Rangers' reluctance to trade two players who've contributed just six league goals between them, for north of £20m this month. But in a side who've managed eight wins in a row, it's important not to destabilise the current balance. Especially with a league title that is there to be won.
"It’s both," Rohl said, asked if the club were moving away from a player-trading focus to a winning-first agenda.
"You have to strengthen your squad, you have to improve and develop players for the next level. This is clear. If a bigger club comes, then you should make the deal. But if you have the ambitions we have, and I think we have shown this in the window, then it’s also important to strengthen the squad with the right players."
The German still believes his side will add before the window closes on Monday at 11pm. How many additions? He'd rather not say. Although in an ideal world, another midfielder would join the planned attacking reinforcement.
"At the moment, we have our eyes open to where we can strengthen the squad and what we need. So yeah, of course, we’re looking for an attacking player - what it looks like, we will see," he continued.
"I have a number in my head. I think that’s the most important thing. Andrew [Cavenagh] knows it, the recruitment team knows it. I think this is clear. The next three or four days will be a little bit crazy. There will be some moments where you think you will have a yes, then maybe not. But all in all, by the end of the window, I think we should have a good number of players ready for the second half of the season."
Read more:
- Porto manager Farioli explains how close he came to Rangers job, Ross Wilson contact
- Rangers transfer state of play: Oliver Antman and Feyenoord, striker latest
Rangers are still looking to move out Danilo and Joe Rothwell, meanwhile, but Rohl doesn't believe that bringing more players in will depend on shifting that pair out the door. Even still, Danilo has interest from Pafos and NEC Nijmegen, whereas it's still hoped a Championship bidder will take Rothwell back south of the border.
"Not really," Rohl said, asked if incomings relied on outgoings.
"But of course we know we have a big squad and one thing will influence another. This is a topic in general; the new signings will not influence the final decision-making for our side. If we can do something, we will do it. Let’s see, still a few days to go and on Monday we will see where we are."
Share