Calvin Bassey is Ajax transfer target as Rangers star on radar for Dutch giants and Premier League side

AJAX are ready to use some of their new-found wealth to test Rangers’ resolve over Calvin Bassey, it’s been claimed.

Emerging Nigerian defender Bassey is highly sought-after following his stand-out performances on the Ibrox side’s European run.

And now claim that Ajax could use some of the £60m they will rake in from the sales of Sebastien Haller to Dortmund and Lisandro Martinez to Manchester United on the versatile left-sided defender.

They could find competition for his services from Premiership outfit Brighton.

The station’s transfer expert Alex Crook wrote: “Ajax could spend some of their Martinez windfall on Rangers defender Calvin Bassey.

“Understand Brighton and Hove Albion are also monitoring the versatile left back.”

Big money will be hard to resist on a star who was picked up for a paltry £230,000 and has two years remaining on his deal.

But Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst insisted this week the big defender should be in no rush to quit Ibrox.

As a player, Van Bronckhorst beat a path to the Premiership with Arsenal via Ibrox.

More recently, Gers duo Nathan Patterson and Joe Aribo took the same route south.

But Van Bronckhorst believes the Nigeria international will be better served continuing his development with Gers.

The Ibrox gaffer said: “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’.”

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