Ajax boss reveals Super Eagles star is a like-for-like replacement for Man Utd new boy

Ajax Amsterdam manager Alfred Schreuder has admitted that Super Eagles star Calvin Bassey was signed as a like-for-like replacement for Lisandro Martínez.

The Dutch champions quickly moved for the Rangers defender following the transfer of the versatile Argentina international to Manchester United.

Bassey became the most expensive Nigerian defender in history and Rangers' biggest sale with his move to Ajax Amsterdam for a fee of 23 million euros and the fee could rise to 26.5 million euros with performance-related add-ons included.

Originally a left-back, the Leicester City academy product was moulded into a centre-back in his final season at Rangers.

Bassey made a good impression when he trained for the first time with his new teammates on Thursday, July 21.

In a parley with the media at Ajax's training camp in Bramberg am Wildkogel, Austria on Friday, Schreuder only had positive things to say about Bassey, stating that the Nigerian is a physical and pacy player.

"He brings some power to the team and speed. I think we need that in the back. Bassey is the one-on-one replacement for Martínez," Schreuder was quoted as saying by Ajax Life.

"That doesn't mean he can only play centrally, because we also got him as a left back. It is complementary to what we need."

Bassey won't make his unofficial debut for Ajax against Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday as the friendly with the German Bundesliga side has been canceled due to a few Covid-19 cases in the Ajax squad.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit : ajax.nl

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