Ajax Wants £25 Million Bassey To Replace Martinez

Ajax has joined the pursuit for Glasgow Rangers defender Calvin Bassey this summer, joining a slew of Premier League clubs.

Manchester United are nearing a £46 million deal for Ajax center-back Lisandro Martinez, and the Dutch champions are eager to spend some of their windfall on Bassey.

Brighton are also interested in the 22-year-old, and both teams are said to have made bids for the versatile Bassey, though none have yet been accepted by Rangers.

Rangers have put a £25m price tag on Bassey, who is equally comfortable and effective at both left-back and centre-back, two of the positions Martinez has been deployed in for Ajax.

The former Leicester City defender has also been on Aston Villa’s radar, now managed by his former Gers boss Steven Gerrard.

Bassey joined Rangers from the Foxes in 2020 for just £230,000 and has shot to prominence this season, following a string of standout displays.

The Nigeria international produced numerous man-of-the-match performances including in the Europa League final against Frankfurt and Rangers’ Scottish Cup final triumph against Hearts.
Meanwhile, Rangers boss Giovanni Van Bronckhorst is a huge fan of the versatile left-back and has described the Nigerian’s development as “fantastic.”

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Van Bronckhorst said on Gers pre-season tour, “Of course, the development of Calvin Bassey last season was fantastic.

“He can be very good. I always remember the first game we played at Hibs away and he had to come in because Leon Balogun went off.

“He came in and the first action he had was pressing in midfield and he’s a serious physical presence.

“The next day I saw him at the training ground and I remembered that action and I told him, ‘That is what I want from you when you play for us’.

“He is fantastic. Bassey is a player who is at the beginning of his career, but also a player who is open to coaching.

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