Despite having a nightmare transfer window the Daily Record are refusing to accept defeat by launching a bidding war for Calvin Bassey.
Two clubs better known for selling players for big bucks rather than buying them (Ajax and Brighton) have been selected for the usual transfer bingo which is expected to fizzle out in the middle of next week after giving Record readers a comforting glow to mask the paltry £6m fee picked up for Joe Aribo.
For months Aston Villa were the favourites to sign Bassey- and Aribo, Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent and Connor Goldson- but Steven Gerrard’s side are nowhere to be seen ahead of another fictional bidding war.
On the back of a claim made on Jim White’s show on TalkSPORT, Keith Jackson picked up the baton to tell Record readers:
Giovanni van Bronckhorst could be about to lose another one of his Europa League stand-outs as Ajax and Brighton gear up for a £25m battle for Calvin Bassey.
Record Sport understands the Premier League clubs and the Dutch big guns are leading the chase for the 22-year-old and could be about to test the strength of Rangers ‘ resolve by weighing in with big money offers for the Nigerian international.
Countryman Joe Aribo moved to Southampton in a £10m deal earlier this month – after scoring in the historic Seville showdown with Eintracht Frankfurt in May.
But Bassey was Van Bronckhorst ’s top performer on the night and just yesterday the Gers boss pleaded with him to stay at Ibrox to continue his development for at least one more season.
It remains to be seen how determined the Dutchman will be to hold onto his man if, as expected, Brighton and Ajax follow up their initial interest with hard cash offers. Rangers are believed to have slapped a price tag of around £25m on Bassey’s head but that’s not expected to scare either club off.
The facts of that story seem as shaky as the £10m fee for Aribo, non-Record readers know that the deal was for £6m.
Celtic didn’t get £30m for Moussa Dembele or £25m from Southampton for Virgil van Dijk. Add-ons are called add-ons because that is what they are- potential future fees with zero guarantee.
Nathan Patterson’s transfer to Everton probably involved a fee in the region of £5-6m, add-ons are unlikely for a 45 minute appearance against Boreham Wood in the FA Cup or for going out on loan to Hearts in January to relaunch a career that consists of starting just five league matches.
Calvin Bassey 3 goals that changed The Rangers season. £25 million you say ??? pic.twitter.com/8KxRiQA2au
— OzCelts (@OzCelts) May 27, 2022
Calvin Bassey braced for £25m Rangers bidding war as Ajax and Brighton make star top transfer priorityhttps://t.co/uY7GdeQ9fK pic.twitter.com/vHM57msW9e
— Daily Record Sport (@Record_Sport) July 14, 2022
Keith Jackson. The man who puts the fantasy into fantasy football.
Keef Jackass. The Fanny who puts the fantasy into fantasy football.
There, fixed it for you.
I want what they are sniffing, quaffing or smoking whatching the teletubies. Since that is not real.