‘Bassey a £25m bargain’

Defender’s former Leicester City coach insists Premier League clubs should jump at chance to sign Ibrox star

PREMIER LEAGUE clubs should “snap their hands off” if Rangers place a £25 million valuation on in-demand defender Calvin Bassey this summer. But Bassey’s former mentor, Steve Beaglehole, believes a sense of loyalty could keep him at Ibrox if he believes working under Giovanni van Bronckhorst is the best move for his career.

Rangers face a fight to retain Bassey’s services ahead of the new campaign after a stunning season that was rounded off by man-of-the-match showings in the Europa League and Scottish Cup finals.

Aston Villa and Fulham have already been credited with an interest in Bassey and could look to test the resolve of the Ibrox board in a move that is likely to see the 22-year-old break Rangers’ record received fee.

Beaglehole (inset) helped Bassey emerge through the ranks at Leicester City before he joined Rangers two years ago and knows his former charge has all the attributes needed to be a Premier League star.

“I know what he will think and he will do what he thinks is best for him and his career,” Beaglehole said. “But I think he is also a loyal lad and he will recognise what Rangers Football Club has done for him.

“Look at Steven Gerrard, he was the one who signed him, took him up there and gave him his opportunity so there is that attraction.

“Listen, from what I have seen and how prices are going in the Premier League, if anybody rang me and said ‘we can get him, would you pay £20m or £25m’ then I would say ‘snap their hands off’. If you can get him for that, that is what I would say. He is a left-sided centreback, with his physicality and athleticism, that is only going to get better. The more he plays, he is getting a lot better technically and he is a lot better technically now than when he left us.

“He always had fantastic pace and power and that gets him out of trouble when he makes mistakes, which he will do as he develops in the position. As he matures, he will make fewer mistakes and his pace will be an even greater asset because he will nick things and be breaking out with it.

“The game has trends and a trend at the moment is to play with three