Calvin Bassey, a defender for Rangers, has left the Scottish Premiership club for Dutch powerhouse Ajax in a deal worth a record £22.6 million.
The two parties came to an agreement on a fee of about £19.6 million, which could increase to £22.6 million with add-ons, and the 22-year-old has signed a five-year contract with the Eredivisie champions.
The transfer of Calvin Bassey from Rangers to Amsterdam has been agreed upon, according to a statement on the Dutch team’s official website.
“The English-Nigerian player has signed a contract with Ajax that will take effect immediately. I will run for five seasons, until June 30 2027.”
Bassey won the league championship and the Scottish Cup while playing at Ibrox. He transferred from Leicester to Rangers in the summer of 2020 in exchange for a training compensation fee. He also had a significant impact on the Europa League semifinal run from the previous season.
Strong rumours of a move to England followed, with Aston Villa among the clubs showing interest.
These connections, however, probably came to an end when Villa signed Diego Carlos, and Bassey now resides in Amsterdam.
A statement on the Glasgow club’s official website said: “Rangers can today confirm Calvin Bassey has joined Ajax in a deal which is the largest in Rangers’ history.
“Calvin leaves with best wishes from everyone at Rangers. We thank him for his hard work and commitment over the past two seasons.
“Bassey played his part in Rangers’ historic 55th league title victory and won the 2022 Scottish Cup. He also had a huge role in the incredible Europa League run to the final in Seville last season.
“We wish Calvin all the best for his future career.”
