Rangers hold firm on Chermiti — then he gets injured

Rangers hold their number

McInnes was direct enough about why the bid was turned away: it didn't match Rangers' valuation. The interested club hasn't been named — Rangers aren't saying, and the BBC isn't either. What is clear is that Rangers have drawn a line and, for now, they're standing behind it.

That kind of firmness usually signals one of two things — either the club genuinely believe they have a player worth more than the market is currently offering, or they simply don't want to sell and the valuation is the polite way of saying so. McInnes hasn't indicated which it is.

The injury wrinkle

Chermiti has picked up an injury — the nature and severity of which hasn't been confirmed, according to BBC Sport — and that changes the shape of any renewed negotiations considerably.

On paper, an injury to the player you're trying to sell should weaken your hand. A buying club now has a legitimate reason to lower their offer, delay the process, or walk away entirely while they wait to see how serious it is. Rangers, having already knocked back one bid, may find the next conversation harder to control.

The counter-argument is that an injury buys time — and time, in a transfer window, can work in the seller's favour if the interested party is desperate enough. If the bidding club have a specific need for a striker and no obvious alternative, they might come back regardless.

What happens next

Whether the unnamed club returns with an improved offer is the only live question. Rangers have set their price. Chermiti is currently unavailable. The window doesn't stay open forever.

McInnes has drawn a firm line — but right now his striker is injured and the bidding club is unnamed. That's not a strong hand to play from.