Rangers and Nigerian star player Calvin Bassey could be on his way to England to join English Premier League side Brighton or Netherlands’ club Ajax.
Both Brighton and Ajax have reportedly held separate discussions with Rangers over a deal to secure the services of the player. At least seven teams are keeping tabs on the 22-year-old versatile defender, who is also receiving interest from the Serie A and Bundesliga.
According to reports, Ajax head coach Alfred Schreuder spoke with Bassey on the phone and was impressed. The Dutch club is reportedly preparing a formal offer to release Lisandro Martinez, who is expected to sign with Manchester United.
However, Rangers are not panicking about the clubs that are interested in the Nigerian international and will not entertain any bids unless they exceed £20 million.
One source speculates that any deal which comes in for the defender might need to surpass the all-time Scottish record of £25 million when Kieran Tierney joined Arsenal from Celtic.
Recall that Calvin Bassey joined Rangers two years ago from Leicester City on a £230,000 deal, but his departure will see Rangers smash their club record transfer fee for the second season in a row.
His transfer will follow that of Ranger’s academy product Nathan Patterson, who switched to Everton in January on a £16 million deal.
This will help the club to continue moving towards full financial sustainability as a result of their awesome player trading model which is a crucial component of the Rangers board’s strategy.
Calvin Bassey is the subject of interest from multiple clubs. His price tag is set at £25m.💰
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) July 15, 2022
[via @markmcadamtv]. pic.twitter.com/BTEmWdgoLf
The Nigerian young player would be open to further discussions with Ajax and Brighton even though it is believed that he is comfortable at Rangers.
Note that the defender still has two years on his contract and has played in 50 matches last season across all competitions.
He performed so well at Rangers that he was selected for the Europa League team of the season after he helped the club to the final. In addition to winning the Scottish Premiership the year before, he also had a significant role in the Rangers’ victory in the Scottish Cup in May.
The Scottish Premiership club has already signed Antonio Colak, Tom Lawrence, Rabbi Matondo, and John Souttar this summer and they could make more signings before the current summer transfer window comes to an end.
The club’s left-back Borna Barisic, might not be with the club next season as some teams have also shown interest in signing him.
Currently, the Rangers are looking for a replacement for their defensive and forward areas.
Meanwhile, former Rangers striker Chris Burke has reacted to the latest attention that Calvin Bassey is getting. According to Chris, Bassey is an outstanding player who can play in different positions at the back. He described the Nigerian international as a sheer powerhouse.
