THE GOVAN CHIELLINI
Ex-Ger Porrini compares Bassey to legendary Italian defender
SERGIO PORRINI believes Italian clubs are casting eyes on Rangers defender Calvin Bassey because they’ve identified him as a ball-playing stopper in the mould of no-nonsense icon Giorgio Chiellini.
Former Ibrox and Italy right-back Porrini, now Albania assistant manager, believes top English outfits won’t be the only ones queuing up if Rangers opt to cash in on their biggest asset this summer.
The Nigeria international has come to the fore this season and his heroics en route to last month’s Europa League Final in Seville haven’t gone unnoticed. It has seen Bassey’s profile and value soar to new heights two years on from arriving at Ibrox from Leicester.
Former boss Steven Gerrard is keen to take him to Aston Villa and any deal will have to be well above a Rangers record sale that saw Nathan Patterson head for Everton in January for in excess of £10million. Porrini said: “I am not surprised Aston Villa and other top clubs are looking at him. I know there has been Serie A interest and a lot of teams will be wanting to sign him this summer. “Any club who has the budget will be trying to get him because he is a top young defender who will only get better.
“The good thing for Rangers is he is still under contract and if they are to sell him, it would take a lot of money to get him.”
Porrini believes Bassey has got it all as a defender, sharing similar characteristics with Italy and Juventus legend Chiellini in his prime.
The 53-year-old said: “Bassey has been really impressive this season.
“He caught my eye especially in the big European games and, for me, he was as good as anyone in the Europa League Final.
“He is quick, physically strong and very committed. He is a real defender.
“You have the defender who is very good on the ball and the other is more like a Giorgio Chiellini, who is very strong but also has the quality to play. Bassey falls into that latter category.”
Porrini played with Light Blues boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst for three seasons in Glasgow.
And he reckons his old team-mate did well in his first season at Ibrox in lifting the Scottish Cup and getting to the showpiece in Seville.
He added: “It wasn’t easy for Gio when he first went in at Rangers but he still did a great job.
“Rangers weren’t the best team in the Europa League – there were teams like Barcelona and other big teams with multi-million pound squads – but it was Rangers who got to the Final.
“Gio did a great job because getting to the Final wasn’t easy and it was a fantastic achievement.
“Yes, in the Premiership he could have done better. But in his first season at Rangers I still think Gio has done a really great job.”
The single disappointment was the Ibrox men finishing second in the league. Porrini believes that with a whole pre-season behind him, van Bronckhorst is more than capable of bringing the title back to Govan.
The Italian added: “I would expect Rangers to be up challenging in the Premiership next season and they can definitely win the league.
“The title race will be a lot closer next season.”
Any club who has the budget will be trying to get him... he will only get better SERGIO PORRINI ON IN-DEMAND BASSEY