RANGERS STAR BASSEY ON VILLA RADAR
Glasgow Rangers defender Calvin Bassey is a transfer target for Premier League side Aston Villa according to various media reports in the United Kingdom (UK). The specific report from the stables of Sky Sports said Aston Villa are one of several Premier League teams to ask Rangers about the possibility of signing the Super Eagles of Nigeria star from the Scottish Premiership outfit.
Bassey, 22, is a highly rated defender signed from Premier League team Leicester City by current Villa boss Steven Gerrard while he was the Glasgow Rangers manager. Bassey signed for Rangers from Leicester City in 2020.
Aston Villa are not the only Premier League team keen on signing Bassey from Glasgow Rangers. Also, teams from the German Bundesliga are monitoring him. Rangers would only sell if they receive a Scottish transfer record for the player meaning that only a bid in the excess of the £25m paid by Arsenal to sign Kieran Tierney from Old Firm Derby rivals Celtic will get them to the negotiating table. Scotland international star Tierney is the recipient of the Scottish transfer record following his move from Celtic to Arsenal some years ago.
Since signing for Rangers from Premier League side Leicester City two years ago, Nigerian utility defender Bassey has become an important first-team player for the reigning Scottish Cup champions. He was a regular for Rangers as they came close to winning the UEFA Europa League trophy before they lost on penalties to German side Eintracht Frankfurt. Frankfurt beat the immediate Scottish Premiership champions during penalty shootout to become the first German team to win the Europa League. The two teams had played 1-1 at the end of 120 minutes.
Rangers paid £230,000 to sign Bassey from the Foxes two years ago and they would receive a transfer fee in multiple folds if they are to sell him to another club.