Craig Moore: Rangers should spend potential Calvin Bassey exit funds to sign attacking midfielder
Former Rangers defender Craig Moore believes that the club must invest the funds they could receive from Calvin Bassey potentially leaving to sign a creative midfielder this summer.
The Nigeria international has been heavily linked with a number of European clubs, including some of the Premier League sides as well.
Therefore, it would be no surprise should the star defender leave the club in the upcoming transfer window for a fee of around £25million+.
Moore, who represented the Gers in 82 matches across all competitions, scoring six times and providing an assist [Transfermarkt], believes that the Scottish side must invest the money received from any sale of the star defender to strengthen the middle of the park.
“Bassey will be a £25million player this summer,” he told Go Radio Football Show. “This is the likely price that will make him leave Inbox.
“If someone spends that money on him, we should use it to bring a creative spark in midfield. I am excited by the defensive pairing of Goldson and Souttar. I hope they have a great season.”
The football pundits have spoken enough of Bassey’s performances in the recently concluded season.
In the 2022 Europa League final, he was arguably one of the best players on the pitch despite ending on the losing side.
The Nigeria international can play both as a centre half and a fullback. Whenever Giovanni van Bronckhorst decided to play with three at the back, he used to occupy the third central defender position and bring the ball out of the defensive line.
The 22-year-old made 50 appearances across all competitions for the Gers. In those appearances, he scored six goals and made eight assists [Transfermarkt]
The full-back averaged a whopping 1.6 tackles and 0.9 interceptions per game across all competitions which was impressive in every sense. He also averaged 1.4 clearances per game in all the games that he played in the recently concluded season. In the 2021/22 Scottish Premiership, Bassey averaged 0.8 key passes per game [Whoscored].
£25million could well be too good to turn down in the end, and if it led to three top quality signings, we don’t think anyone would have any complaints.
In other Rangers news, contrary to previous reports, this Light Blues icon is yet to open talks with the club over a new deal and he won’t want to take the incentive they are offering either.