Glasgow Rangers missed out on a recent financial windfall as former player Calvin Bassey moved from Ajax to Premier League side Fulham last week, having only joined the Eredivisie giants for a fee which could rise to £23m last summer.
Rangers had a 10% sell on clause in the deal which took Bassey to the Dutch side in 2022, yet this would only be activated if they sold him for more than what they paid, and with Fulham signing him for just £19.3m, the Light Blues will seemingly miss out.
How did Calvin Bassey perform at Rangers?
Upon signing from Leicester City back in 2020, the Nigerian international had a slow start in Glasgow, featuring just 15 times as the Gers won their first Premiership crown in a decade.
His second season was much more productive, and he was helped slightly by injuries to Filip Helander and Leon Balogun as he was deployed in a centre-back position, different from his usual left-back slot.
The 23-year-old made 50 appearances as he won the Scottish Cup whilst also shining on the European stage, ranking second across the squad for interceptions (1.4), sixth for accurate passes (37.4) and seventh for clearances (1.6) per game during their stunning run to the Europa League Final.
Having made a massive profit on the defender, could Michael Beale repeat Rangers’ Bassey masterclass by raiding another English side for a young talent?
Who is Tom Watson?
The Ibrox side have been linked with young Sunderland starlet Tom Watson according to The Daily Mail, although they could face competition from numerous Premier League sides.
The 17-year-old is in the final year of his contract, however he is yet to sign a professional deal with the North East outfit and this has led to other clubs taking a keen interest in him.
The Gers remain at an advantage as they could sign him for a minimum compensation fee due to it being a cross-border move, similar to the one which lured Bassey from England.
The versatile winger, who can operate on either wing while capable of playing as a centre-forward, burst onto the scene during the 2021/22 campaign, netting eight times for the Sunderland youth side in the U18 Premier League.
He carried this momentum into last season extremely well, registering 11 goal contributions – five goals and six assists – in just 13 matches and this earned him game time with the U21 team.
Two goals and five assists in a five game spell saw his stock rise significantly, and he even made a two-minute cameo for the senior side against Huddersfield in April.
Beale could certainly bolster his attacking options in the academy by luring the youngster to Ibrox this summer, and he may have the talents to make the Gers a solid profit in years to come, just like Bassey did last summer.
Watson was lauded by journalist Josh Bunting in 2022, who tweeted: “Tom Watson is a player to keep and eye on, he’s scored for Sunderland 18’s against Leeds this afternoon, that’s three goals in his last four games , makes it stick up top, only 16 so is very much new in 18’s football but has taken it to it like a duck to water, natural finisher.”
If the Englishman makes the move to Scotland, it could turn into a shrewd investment by the Light Blues.
