Goldson compares ‘flying’ Bassey to £27m Brazilian star
Calvin Bassey further enhanced his burgeoning reputation with another outstanding display in Rangers’ 3-1 win over RB Leipzig at Ibrox on Thursday night.
The 22-year-old joined the Ibrox club two years ago from Leicester City for a fee of just £230,000. He has established himself as a first-team fixture under manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst this season, making 47 appearances so far and shining during Rangers’ remarkable run to the Europa League final where they will face Eintracht Frankfurt in Seville on May 18.
While initially signed as a left-back, Bassey has flourished in central defence alongside Connor Goldson who now believes his team-mate has the potential to become an elite player in that role.
Goldson has hailed Bassey’s dedication to improving his game and has pointed to similarities with Gabriel, the Brazilian central defender Arsenal signed for £27 million at a similar age two years ago.
“I think he (Bassey) has got the world at his feet,” Goldson told Rangers matchday programme. “I really believe he can go on and be whatever he wants to be.
“The pace, the strength and being left-footed, they are attributes you can only dream of and I said it to him before this season that this had to be his breakthrough year.
“He was 21 and is now 22 and hadn’t played as much as other players at that age, so I said that to him at the start of the season and he took it on board.
“He went away for the offseason and worked really hard. He had a private trainer over the summer and came back absolutely flying. When he has got his chance he hasn’t let us down.
“You look at the top teams now and they always want a left-footed centre-back. Whether he wants to play at centre-back or left-back, I don’t know. But if Calvin does want to play at centre-back and you look at the top teams, they all want one to be right-footed and one to be left-footed.
“Take Gabriel at Arsenal - I’m not saying Calvin is as good as him right now but look at the build, the stature, his pace and his left foot is nice.
“I think Calvin, over time and with experience, can easily get to that level.”