An update has emerged regarding interest in Rangers tank Calvin Bassey heading into the summer transfer window...

What's the talk?

According to The Telegraph, the Ibrox defender is being eyed up by a club south of the border ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The report claims that the Glasgow gem is a target for Steven Gerrard's Aston Villa, as the former Rangers boss looks to bolster his defensive options in the English Midlands.

Big disaster

Ross Wilson will be heading for a big Rangers disaster if he even entertains the idea of cashing in on Bassey in the next few months.

Gio van Bronckhorst needs the Nigeria international next season, as he has been a crucial player for the club throughout 2021/22.

Connor Goldson and Leon Balogun are both out of contract this summer, so Bassey may be the only fit senior central defensive option at Ibrox by the end of next month before John Souttar arrives. Losing him would therefore leave the club in a difficult situation with the centre-back position.

Selling the ex-Leicester man would also be a disaster because of what Rangers would lose on the pitch. The £6.4k-per-week tank has been outstanding in the Premiership this season, proving that he can deliver quality displays on a consistent basis by averaging a SofaScore rating of 6.97.

As you can see from the SofaScore statistics above, the left-back turned centre-back has been a pivotal member of Van Bronckhorst's squad this season, and the Dutch head coach will surely be desperate to keep him at Ibrox for the foreseeable future.

Journalist Josh Bunting has described Bassey's improvement as "ridiculous", and his growth throughout the campaign suggests that he is a player with the potential to get even better. At the age of 22, he is still in the early part of his career and has plenty of time left on his hands to develop further and increase his value.

This is another reason why the Gers must fight to keep hold of Bassey. If they can continue to help the youngster fulfill his potential, then he may be worth even more to the club in a couple of years' time, which would mean that Wilson can rake in a larger sum of money for his services.

Therefore, it would be a big disaster to sell him this summer, so Rangers' sporting director must hold firm to rebuff any interest from Villa.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Kent: Van Bronckhorst can form scary Rangers duo by signing gem "who never gives up"...