Derek McInnes said the striker remains “a long way off” a return, despite hopes he could play before the end of the campaign.

Chermiti was injured against Hibernian earlier this season and has been sidelined for a significant period.

McInnes said: “Youssef is a long way off and we shouldn’t be putting him under too much pressure.

“When you’re in the gym, especially when the winter kicks in hard and the lads are going outside, you’ve got to find ways to keep yourself motivated.

“The likelihood is that it’ll be next season before he’s back, but you just never know. He might come back for those last few games.

“I’m enjoying how he’s been at the minute. He’s been really positive around the lads.

“It was a huge blow losing Youssef, there are no two ways about it. There’s a talent and a skill set there that would really help us.

“But he needs us to help him at the minute. Hopefully, by committing to doing all the work he needs to do, he’ll come back better than ever.”

McInnes said Chermiti had remained positive while facing the long recovery, but warned that returning would require patience and sustained work.

He said: “I’m conscious that every day I speak to Youssef, I don’t always want to ask him how he is because that’s the question you get when you’re injured. It’s just that kind of standard response all the time.

“But chatting to him, he seems pretty positive. He knows there’s a long way ahead of him. When you’re having to deal with that long-term injury, and I had that myself, you’ve got to surround yourself with positive people.

“We’ve got brilliant medical staff who can keep him motivated. He has to try to see the bigger picture. It’s an opportunity for him to get bigger and stronger and even more motivated because sometimes, when football is taken away from you, you realise that when you’re young you can take it for granted. I’m not saying he did.

"You can cut corners with these types of injuries, but you’ve got to do the hard yards to come back even stronger and better than ever.

“Before he knows it, he’ll be back here joining us. Hopefully, we’ll see him before the end of the season, even if it’s the last part of the season. Obviously, there’s no real pressure being put on him for that.

“Youssef will be thinking he has to work towards trying to play before the end of the season if he can. There are all these little milestones that the physios and doctors will put in front of him. He’s just got to slowly but surely make his way forward.”