'I was not happy that he left' - Van Bronckhorst admits he was sad to see Bassey leave Rangers 

Dutch football tactician Giovanni van Bronckhorst has admitted that he was sad to see Calvin Bassey leave Glasgow Rangers last summer. 

Bassey became the most expensive Nigerian defender in history, overtaking Super Eagles legend Taribo West, when he moved to Ajax for a guaranteed fee of 23 million euros.

However, things did not work out for the Nigeria international at the Amsterdam club and he was often criticized for his lack of ball-playing skills. 

The Ajax hierarchy ran out of patience with the physical and pacy defender after just one season, selling him to Fulham for a fee of €22.5 million last month. 

With Van Bronckhorst in the Rangers dugout, Bassey registered 36 all-competition appearances, including 35 as  a starter over the course of the 2021-2022 season, and was a key member of the squad that reached the final of the Europa League and won the Scottish FA Cup. 

Defending his former pupil, Giovanni van Bronckhorst underlined that Bassey quickly broke into the starting lineup at Rangers because of his defensive attributes. 

"He hasn't had a good year," Van Bronckhorst said to RTL 7, via FCUpdate. 

"I joined Rangers in November and he immediately became a starter because of his defensive qualities. Fast, physically strong in the duels. 

"He played in his power. That's why the player was sold. I was not happy that he left, but I understood the club."

Bassey made his Premier League debut for Fulham last weekend against Brentford when he entered the game as a substitute in the 67th minute.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

Photo Credit : rangers.co.uk

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