Everton asked Youssef Chermiti to skip Portugal U20 duty, decision paying off
Everton asked Portugal Under-20s to leave Youssef Chermiti out of their squad earlier this season in a decision that is now paying off, according to iNews.
The British outlet reported on its online edition on Monday (16 October) that Everton wanted Chermiti to skip Portugal U20s’ September fixtures to instead work on a special strength and conditioning programme at Finch Farm.
Portugal are said to have been reluctant at first, but now agree that the decision was for the best for the 19-year-old, who is still finding his feet at Goodison Park.
The report read: “The Portuguese FA acquiesced to that request and insiders say they can already see the results of that work in this international camp.”
A source is quoted by the publication as saying: “That work is bearing fruit, he is a different player from the one we saw before.”
Good call
Asking a player to skip international duty is never great, but in this instance it seems to have been a smart choice from Everton.
Chermiti has needed time to get up to speed with Premier League football following his arrival from Sporting CP in the summer.
Everton clearly want the 19-year-old to bulk up a little, and the best time to do that is during the international break.
The youngster has still played only 26 minutes of Premier League football for the Toffees, but he will likely have more of a part to play as the campaign goes on.
If he can continue adapting to the demands put on him by Everton, Chermiti looks as though he will be a real talent for years to come.
In this instance, it is a classic case of short-term pain equals long-term gain for both the club and the player.
