A big Rangers update has emerged regarding Giovanni van Bronckhorst's stance on star Ibrox defender Calvin Bassey this summer.
What's the talk?
According to the Daily Record, Rangers' sporting director Ross Wilson will demand a fee which eclipses the £16m that they received for former Gers defender Nathan Patterson in January to allow the versatile defender to leave if any clubs make offers for him in the coming months.
The report claims that a host of suitors from south of the border are chasing the 22-year-old's services after his impressive displays in the Europa League for Rangers.
Aston Villa, Wolves, Fulham and Brentford are all keen on the defender, but it remains to be seen whether or not they will be willing to stump up the cash required to land him.
Wilson must avoid Bassey blunder
Ibrox chief Wilson must now avoid making a huge blunder this summer. He must stick to his guns and not waiver on his valuation of the former Leicester man, as losing him for anything less than a club-record fee would be a disaster.
Bassey has proven himself throughout the campaign and recently caught the eye in the Europa League final in Seville.
talkSPORT duo Jason Cundy and Jamie O'Hara waxed lyrical about the Nigerian's performance against Eintracht Frankfurt, with the former saying: “He looked sensational tonight, absolutely sensational. I thought he was the best player on the pitch.
“He was immense, 22 years of age. He is destined for big things, this kid – he was absolutely superb tonight.”
O’Hara added: “What a player, he was like [Virgil] Van Dijk!”
In the European run, Bassey averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.90. He played 14 matches en route to the final and made three tackles and interceptions per game, winning 60% of his duels in total.
The centre-back was also crucial in the Premiership for Gio van Bronckhorst. In 29 league appearances, he averaged a rating of 6.97 as he won 63% of his duels and helped the team to keep 13 clean sheets, playing at both left-back and at the heart of the defence.
Whilst he may not be quite as good as the Liverpool metronome, the Gers defender - as O'Hara intimated - is Van Bronckhorst's own Virgil van Dijk, who has won 74% of his duels in the Premier League. Like the 30-year-old, Bassey a physical centre-back who wins the majority of his duels against attackers, as shown by his statistics domestically and in Europe.
At the age of 22, the Nigerian tank has plenty of time left on his side to develop and hone his skills to a point where he is playing at the very top level. His form for Rangers suggests that he has the potential to do so, given his superb performances in the Europa League at such a young age, and that is why Wilson must not sell him for anything less than a club-record deal.