Rangers have turned down a bid for striker Youssef Chermiti, manager Derek McInnes has confirmed, even as the forward faces a spell on the sidelines through injury.
Chermiti, who has earned under-21 caps for Portugal, has established himself as a key attacking option at Ibrox since his arrival, having featured 43 times for the club. Of those appearances, 30 have come as a starter, and he has contributed 15 goals across his spell in Glasgow, underlining why suitors have come calling.
Speaking after news of the rejected offer emerged, McInnes made clear that keeping hold of the forward remains a priority for the Rangers hierarchy. "It's no surprise that he's a player who's got a big tag on him and he's got high potential, but thankfully he's our player and that will continue to be the case," the manager said.
McInnes stressed that the club's focus this summer is on strengthening the squad rather than losing established performers, pointing to Chermiti as an example of the quality already at his disposal. "We're trying to build a team here at the minute and we're trying to still bring additions to the team that helps us add to the good players that we've got, including Youssef," he explained.
The Rangers boss was unequivocal in dismissing any suggestion that the club would sanction a departure for the striker at this stage. "So it's not something we would encourage at any point and, as I say, obviously news has broken today, but we're just trying to concentrate on the game today," he added, keen to shift attention back to matters on the pitch.
The development comes during what has already been an eventful transfer window for Rangers. McInnes, who took charge after moving from Heart of Midlothian, has overseen nine signings so far this summer as he looks to reshape the squad in his image. Despite that flurry of activity, the manager indicated there is still work to be done before the window closes.
"We've got a few bids in for several players and a few things are ongoing at the minute, but everything else, ideally a lot of these things would have came to fruition a wee bit quicker," McInnes said, acknowledging that some negotiations have taken longer than he would have liked.
He did, however, suggest that supporters could expect further news on incoming transfers in the near future, with several targets reportedly still on the club's radar. "But hopefully, if there is any news to tell, it'll be in the upcoming days on a few of our targets," he added.
For now, though, the immediate concern surrounds Chermiti's fitness rather than his future. The rejected bid has thrust the young striker into the spotlight at a moment when he is dealing with an injury setback, adding an extra layer of uncertainty to his immediate involvement for Rangers.
With McInnes continuing to reshape his squad following his move from Tynecastle, the coming days are likely to bring further clarity both on Chermiti's recovery timeline and on the club's remaining transfer business as the window edges towards its conclusion. The manager's message, though, was clear: whatever interest exists in his forward, Rangers have no intention of letting him leave.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.