Youssef Chermiti: Keep or Loan?

It's most likely Chermiti goes on loan and we are replacing him.

If anyone needs to be out on loan it's him because, unless I'm missing something, he hasn't impressed in his appearances, apart from the odd glimpse of something maybe.

Now Barry is here, and he knows where the back of the net is, as does our enigma, Chermiti will be no use as 3rd reserve on a bench of academy no hopers.

Get him gone for some experience, Moysie.

A simple bit of research would have told you that.

He was then out injured for virtually the entire season.

It will give him experience he has missed and develop him.

He will go on loan though this summer.

With him, we have 3 strikers. It only takes an injury and we're down to 2. Add in cup competitions, which hopefully we will have a decently run in, we'll need backup.

Plus, won't we lose Beto for the Africa Cup of Nations mid-season?

Again, I'm not calling the shots, but if I was, I wouldn't be sending Chermiti out on loan.

Maybe it would still appeal if a loan can be brought in as an experienced 3rd choice striker, although one would hope it would not be one who is injured, like Broja!

Thereby allowing Chermiti the opportunity to get more match experience than Everton are likely to offer him without leaving ourselves short of cover.

For his benefit, he needs to play regularly and this is most likely to happen if he gets a loan to another club. Pity as we are clearly short of numbers, but we have no idea if he is Premier League match ready.

Now that we have Beto and Barry, Chermiti has to go on loan to develop.

What if one gets injured and we lose Beto to AFCON?

But if you don't send Chermiti on loan to go and play 35-ish games, then you are seriously harming his development as a footballer, especially since he's missed so much football since arriving.

If he comes back from loan a good player, then we might keep him with the first-team squad next season.

Perhaps we can include a recall clause in case of injury but this is a £10M asset who will either leave for next to nothing or hopefully develop into a £30M player. He won't do the latter sat on the bench.

Two forwards, and I would get Callum Wilson and loan Chermiti.

Beto won't be going to the AFCON as his country didn't qualify.

This is a make-or-break time for him and I'm confident that, given the right guidance and development, he will come good.

As for only having two strikers, we need to get intense in landing a couple of goalscoring wingers in the Richarlison mode.

We just need to get some versatile forwards who could play there in a pinch but are more likely to start out wide. Evan Guessand would be my pick.

Chermiti is also young but he's been in and around the team and is fully aware of expectations.

Should Beto or Barry get injured, who else do we have up top?

A recall clause is not of much use as I'm fairly sure that these days the player can only be recalled to play in a transfer window.

Whatever, the majority seem sure we won't have two dedicated strikers on the pitch at the start of a game.

I don't see the logic myself. But we'll have to see what Moyes thinks.

Then again stranger things have happened.

As for Keane up front. Please no. He can be effective when on the pitch going up for set pieces, like most centre-backs, but he's not a centre-forward.

If we get that done quickly enough we could perhaps start thinking about being more strategic about Chermiti's development. For now, with the way we've dragged our feet about appointing people and signing new players, no-one can leave.

When Branthwaite was loaned to PSV he came back a better player. Lewis Dobbin loaned to Derby County. Played 43 games, didn't improve at all. Sold to Villa as a makeweight, immediately loaned out to West Brom and then Norwich. No doubt Villa will loan him out again or sell him.

If a young player must be loaned out, at least loan him to a club where he will learn something besides "toughening up".

Also can he (or possibly Barry) offer something in the wide roles? Barry certainly comes off the left a lot. We lack pace in the wide positions, have done for years now.

Loaning a player so he gets game time, which may well be down a division or two will be beneficial compared to just training and occasionally warming the bench.

By your argument there is no benefit in signing a player from a lower league as he will have learned nothing... erm, Tim Cahill?

If we have cover for the front 2, be it a Richarlison type who can play across the front line, or an experienced striker, such as Vardy or Wilson (Not advocating, just saying), then Chermiti playing regularly, building up confidence and sharpness will be an advantage for us in the second half of the season or in future seasons.

If he can't hack it at Stoke, we'll have learned something.

Going back David Beckham etc

I can see the logic in Danny's argument for keeping him. And also in Robert's and Sam's point for loaning him out to get playing time for his professional development.

I think we really need to see who else we get in and where they play to make a valid decision. Some versatile attackers or attacking midfielders can provide us with attacking options in case of injury.

If this were to happen, it would open up a whole new dimension to the debate.

But I agree with Danny, we don't want to go down the route of bringing in a veteran striker who is approaching the end of his career after loaning out a promising young striker already on our books.

So my educated but totally useless opinion would be wait and see what happens! If we get the right players in, he goes out on loan; if not, he stays.

Very uncomfortable on this fence!!!

He ain't gonna improve sat on our bench because he ain't playing ahead of Beto and Barry.

He'll learn far more playing week-in and week-out than sat on our bench.

Needs to bang a few in and then come back.

Chermiti might benefit from a spell in the Championship - where a high proportion of the best players are Premier League club loanees. Equally if there's a top flight club on the continent (Belgium, Netherlands, Portugal etc) that can offer him about 35 games then that's a good option.

But I don't think you can rule out lower league experience entirely. Dobbin, like loads of Premier League academy graduates, found his level. He was never going to make it wherever he was sent on loan.

Many of the players we are now all keen on – the likes of Doak, McAtee, Hutchison and Gallagher – all got games under their belts in the Championship (and in Gallagher's case League One, I think).

They need competitive games. For players of any real ability, there is very little to learn in U18s and U21s football after hitting 16.

I'll vote loan, with a right to recall in case of an injury. I have zero enthusiam for signing a veteran striker as third choice when we have so many other needs. Ndiaye can play up top in an emergency.

For me it's not really about if Chermiti can do it, it's that he's already 3rd place in the pecking order and Barry and Beto still need to learn the Premier League as well.

I'd like a good experienced striker to come in as Beto is still learning top level football. Also, Barry both needs to learn more things plus get a lot of game time; as I'm sure the manager will give Barry game time to adapt to the Premier League instead of thinking when to give Chermiti a few minutes which would mean keeping Barry on the bench in some games.

Will be exciting to see Barry, Ndiaye and Alcaraz flying down the left like PSG now there's pace and players who can run with a ball or beyond the man for a return pass.

When Cahill came to us, he improved. He had access to better coaches, better facilities and he played with better players. It doesn't work the other way around.

I don't see how worse coaching and inferior facilities, not to mention surrounded by less skilful players, can improve a young player. Especially to Premier League standard. All that happens is they end up getting loaned to club after club until their contract runs out.

Somebody mentioned Leon Osman. The exception that proves the rule. He eventually became a decent player but he was never going to be a great one.

Chermiti is 21 and he's already been at the club for 2 years. We should not be loaning out a player we paid £12M quid for or he'll turn into another Tosun.

Tosun was what 26 when he signed for Everton and a full international, not a 21-year-old unproven kid who's not played 30 senior games like Chermiti.

So many players in history dropped down and played a lesser standard of football and then started Premier League games for their parent club.

Look at liam Delap too. Norwich and Hull he went on loan too.

Barry will need time to settle, so if we loan Chermiti out, we are going to look a little short up front.

I think more players have gone on loan and not made it back to the Premier League and Everton than have over the years.

We can probably cite Leon Osman, Seamus Coleman and Jarrad Branthwaite in recent times. Maybe Harrison Armstrong will join that group. Maybe some can point out others, but those named is over a 20+ year period.

I'm not changing my position. My concern is that we are left light in that position, something that has impacted us in all positions over the pitch for seasons.

If Moyes decides, and it's his decision, not ours, that a loan is beneficial, I'd probably prefer he went to the continent.

Gut instinct? If he goes on loan, I wouldn't expect to see him back at Everton. No crystal ball, just a hunch.

We've got other areas of the pitch to worry about if we maintain 3 strikers.

Ryan, watching Pedro, I wonder what Delap is thinking right now?

He will definitely get game time in the friendly games starting next week. Injuries have kept him back in the last year; let's see him here and see if the potential he had has improved.

Btw, Dave, your hun temple did a great job yesterday for the graduation. They even had “The Bird Is Blue” banners!
I'd share them if I knew how!

Chermiti needs a loan to the Championship unless he's sold.

He doesn't need a season on the bench playing the odd 10 mins and the odd cup game.

If we only bring in one more, then he may have to stay just to give us some depth.

I don't recall anyone writing off Delap on here. Only those who must have followed him closely suggesting he would be a good addition for Everton.

Personally, I had no idea, as I hadn't followed him and know nothing about his earlier career.

I'm not against the loan system, I just don't think this would be a good move for Everton right now. Let's at least get to Christmas and see where we are.

Last I'll say on it, as we'll be going around in circles.

If he does well, Moyes may be minded to keep him. If he doesn't make much of an impression, I think he definitely goes on loan. We and he can't afford another year of not playing.

"I'd like a good experienced striker to come in as Beto is still learning top level football."

Okay...

Beto has made 122 top level league appearances... half in Serie A, half in the Prem... and has scored 32 goals.

Yes, Beto has much improved since the beginning of the season just gone, and stepped up as the main striker.

I guess if you are taking the other side of the scale from where I think he is still learning top level football, that's fine with me. All opinions and it's very good to be in a place where opinions can be shared.

Looking at Man Utd how they have struggled settling in new strikers recently as an example of what is possible, I wouldn't mind an experienced striker to come in who can help with the pressure which can be anything like a dry run or one gets a knock. Someone who is happy to do a Michael Keane or Ashley Young role from the bench; be ready and do a job if the first two strikers are coincidentally having a problem spell.

I do think the two main strikers of Beto and Barry will do well this year, but there's no crystal ball for me to see into to say it will work out well all the time for 40-50 games over the season.

While Moyes' "Striker-ruining" reputation eases over the years (big sigh of relief for Beto! But the thought of hoofing long balls forward and asking Andy Johnson as a lone striker to go up against Centre Backs who are 5 to 7 inches taller still lingers), he is definitely not the best Striker-whisperer for a young one like Youssef.

Ideally, Youssef should either be loaned to either one of the scenarios below:

1) Continental Club competing in the main group stages of any of the 3 European Competitions that would be willing to play Youssef as an everyday starter: 30+ leagues games + at least 6 extra European Games (6 in the Conference League Stages; 8 in the Europa League & Champions League) if healthy.

2) Championship Club with high stakes. In other words, a club either chasing Promotion or fighting their lives at the bottom of the table. That would allow Youssef playing games with high-end pressure every single week. A mid-table team having claimed safety between Christmas and Easter (like us from this recent season!), in fact, would be the worst scenario because a lot of those managers would begin giving playing time to the youngsters on their own books.

Fingers crossed that Smith and Hammond can find a great landing spot for Youssef. I don't trust Moyes having that ability, network and time to do so.

Now he's fit again, give him as much of the ball here with us as we can. Then, if required, loan him out in January.

Chermiti looks to be an emotional player. Think of the cards he received in the first 10 minutes of getting on the pitch. I am concerned that he will drift from his maximum possible potential if he gets dropped by a lower league manager.

We are so light as a squad, I would like to see Moyes put his arms around the lad and convince him to shine in the final 20 minutes. Beto tends to fade and Barry knows we are big on him in the long run.

Until we get some more transfers in, my concern for how he takes being loaned out is the issue. We didn't pay much but that is because we signed him early in his trajectory. Let's build him up in-house.

Addendum: I just noticed Danny and Dave A are for keeping him here as well. Not so contrarian then, in good company on that position..

I think it's pretty simple really. Moyes will take another look at him in pre-season; if Chermiti does really well and convinces Moyes that he can offer something meaningful either up top (or more importantly, out wide), then he will keep him to play significant match time.

But Moyes hardly played him at all when he was fit at the back end of last season and a few minutes here or there is not going to help him develop into the player he could be.

The solution is that we buy a wide forward (Richarlison style) who can play at right-wing but also do a job as striker, my pick would be Evan Guessand.

That way we have Beto, Barry and Guessand all able to play the single striker role which is more than enough (most teams have one or two).

Chermiti then goes on a well chosen loan to someone like Portsmouth where he is first choice and hopefully gets 30 games and 15 goals which turns him from a drifting young striker worth £5m to the next hot young thing worth £20m that we can either keep or sell.

I'm not sure Chermiti can play out wide, while Barry and Beto barely missed a game last season. So why would we keep a talent down by stuffing him on the bench? Poor lad desperately needs games and the squad will look better in a few weeks, I'm sure.

I must have no idea about Guessand, but then I often don't about most of the names thrown around on these pages. I think I'm a bit one eyed until there is something concrete in a rumour.

I just think we have other areas to focus on, and to repeat myself, wouldn't like to see us go down to two strikers. We could easily end up in a situation like towards the end of last season, where we only have one available.

As much as I liked him, and I know others were not convinced, I don't think Richarlison would be a good move. Seems like lazy journalism at this point.

I could understand keeping Chermiti if the transfer window were closing tomorrow but I'm pretty sure we will be recruiting more forward type players. And the lad deserves a chance to develop surely.

Suggesting Moyes has a good look at Chermiti in the close season begs the question — why didn't Moyes play the lad at the end of last season when the pressure was off us having to win games?

Maybe he'd had a look at that one win in ten games prior to those games and realised some fans were having another serious look at Moyes himself so made getting more wins the main object of the rest of the season.

It doesn't look to me like Moyes rates him which would make a loan move even more prudent.

Moyes needed wins at the back end of the season to secure his own place with the fans. He did the right thing as he got the results.

I think the manager will always defer to caution when selecting youth v experience, therefore Chermiti will spend next season on the bench if he is not loaned out.

He made 22 appearances in 2022/23 with Sporting compared to 4 last season with his injuries. He needs games, so send him only loan to the right Championship club.

In his first season I remember watching him against Brentford the game after we beat LFC 2-0. He played as the lone striker for nearly 80+ minutes because DCL was injured (surprise) and Chermiti did this amazing flick over his and the pressing defenders heads straight to the feet of Doucouré right in front of goal and of course Doucouré kicked it over the top bar instead of anywhere near the goal.

With the sharpness and skill of Ndiaye, Alcaraz or Barry he would creating a lot of assists and goals. Keep him do not loan him out.

If Beto or Barry (who will likely take time to settle) pick up any injuries there's another forward to either start or come off the bench if Chermiti is retained.

With just two years left on his contract, loaning him out is only an option if we have another forward brought in to replace him but we have to be mindful we don't end up losing him on a free if he is sent out on loan for the season and winding down his contract due to him feeling he has no chance to make it with us.

Id take Ivanovic from Millwall, or an experienced player like Jimenez.