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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Graeme Young

Calvin Bassey sparks Ajax U-turn as former Rangers star has punters purring amid 'Europe's best' claim

Former Rangers defender Calvin Bassey is riding a crest of a wave at Ajax with a former star and punters raving about the £19m defender after a sticky start.

The 23–year–old is thriving under John Heitinga playing in central defence, and his recent eye–catching efforts have been recognised with a man of the match award in the hard fought 1-0 win over NEC on Sunday. Bassey has forged a strong partnership with Netherlands international Jurrien Timber after the Nigeria international spent time at left–back earlier in the season. And ex-Ajax star Sonny Silooy is giddy about Bassey's future now that he has established himself in the wake of his shaky start.

Speaking to De Telegraaf about the former Rangers man, Silooy said: “Bassey has found his place at Ajax. He now knows, that has probably been made clear to him, that he has to take a ball and play it in. In this he can become one of the best defenders in the Netherlands. Let's start with that, maybe from Europe.

"He is of course much better centrally than on the left, where he also played when Ajax was not in the best period. He just needs to learn to look ahead sooner when danger threatens.”

“He has really been on a roll in recent weeks. At one point he ended up on the back line of NEC and that is possible again, because the remaining defence is now much better organised at Ajax.”

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