Ally cannot see logic of 'gamble' on £8m kid

ALLY McCOIST has questioned the wisdom of Rangers taking a "gamble" on Youssef Chermiti by sanctioning the second-highest transfer fee in their history for an unproven striker.

- By Ross Pilcher

The Ibrox club splashed out £8million to sign the 21-year-old Portuguese from Everton, where he had failed to score in any of his 24 appearances, with only two of those being starts. Indeed, with add-ons the Chermiti fee could rise to £10m, a sum only eclipsed by Gers' record £12m capture of Tore Andre Flo from Chelsea in 2000.

But McCoist, who knows more than most about what it takes to hit the back of the net for the club, isn't mistaking big spending as a guarantee of success.

And he is baffled as to why Gers didn't fork out that kind of cash on players they already know can cut it in Scotland.

"Nobody more than me hopes that Youssef Chermiti goes on and scores a barrel load of goals for Rangers.

"But there would have to be a massive question mark about it because he hasn't done it anywhere he's been.

"Why would you take a gamble like that?