Upon his arrival at Rangers last summer, comparisons quickly to emerge between the Ibrox newbie and someone who left Glasgow to the tune of £20 million.
Both players are, after all, natural left-footers with the technical qualities to break lines and start attacks at source.
Physically imposing yet extremely eye-catching with the ball at their feet. Two young defenders who joined Rangers on a pittance, and should both earn the Scottish Premiership outfit a substantial profit later down the line.
So, while Clinton Nsiala certainly does have shades of Calvin Bassey, Rangers’ 2022/23 Europa League finalist is not the only central defender the off-season acquisition from AC Milan can claim to sharing a resemblance to.
Nsiala was outstanding again as Rangers beat Aberdeen 3-0 on Wednesday night.
On what was only his third Premiership start – the 21-year-old made his debut six days earlier at Dundee – Clinton Nsiala not only kept a clean sheet, he also set up Leon Balogun’s stoppage-time header while producing one of the finest ball-playing displays from a central defender at Ibrox in recent memory.
And Ross McCausland, from his vantage point amongst the Gers substitutes, could barely believe what he was seeing as Nsiala recorded a 91 per cent pass completion rate while pulling off a few switches of play a certain Dutch colossus would have been proud of.
Rangers newbie Clinton Nsiala earns Virgil van Dijk comparison
“He’s been amazing,” McCausland says of his fellow youngster. “Just even the past few games watching him. Us on the bench were saying he was like [Liverpool captain Virgil] Van Dijk. A left-footed Van Dijk.
“It was good to see that he was ready for his opportunity and he’s certainly took it.”
He certainly has.
Philippe Clement has always insisted that – taking an ‘every cloud has a silver lining’ approach to Rangers’ defensive injury crisis – the absences of James Tavernier, John Souttar, Dujon Sterling and Neraysho Kasanwirjo would open up doors for fringe players and youngsters to make their mark.
Clement has praised Ridvan Yilmaz’s transformation into a rampaging right-back recently. The Rangers boss was full of praise for Clinton Nsiala once again in midweek as the still-considerable gap at the top of the Premiership table was cut to 13 points.
Philippe Clement and Leon Balogun delighted with Nsiala progress
“I’m really proud of Clinton Nsiala because of all the work he’s been doing in recent months with the B team and in training,” Clement beamed, this Friday’s birthday boy certainly not performing like a footballer completely new to senior football, let alone Scottish football.
“Also a lot of praise towards Ridvan playing on that [right-hand] side against these clubs. How he’s performing, same way for Clinton Nsiala coming in with no experience at this level.”
With Souttar and Sterling still out – Robin Propper also picked up a knock against Aberdeen – Balogun could start alongside a man 16 years his senior once again as Rangers host fifth-tier Fraserburgh with a place in the next round of the Scottish Cup up for grabs.
“Clinton has done tremendously well,” Balogun said after Nsiala’s inch-perfect cross found his head in the 93rd minute as Rangers left it late to see off a poor Aberdeen side. “He was really, really good today.
“Hats off to the boy.”
