The transfer of Calvin Bassey from Ajax to Rangers has been dubbed the biggest “wrong turn” in the history of European football.
The Nigerian international centre-back left Ibrox after only two seasons in the summer, the ex-Leicester City kid’s exploits in the Europa League earning him a reported £23m (€25m) switch.
But the eye-whopping figure has courted plenty of controversy back in the Netherlands as Calvin Bassey is scapegoated for Ajax’s below par Eredivisie and European campaigns.
Ajax currently sit 2nd in the Dutch top flight, eight points off Feyenoord who’re now clear frontrunners to lift the title, and are out of Europe following Europa League defeat to Union Berlin.
It’s left the club’s expensive summer transfer business open to scrutiny with the price paid by the Dutch outfit once again being criticised by former Dutch football manager Aad de Mos.
Ex-Rangers star Calvin Bassey earns painful Ajax tag
The 76-year-old claims that Ajax misspent the £105m (€120m) they received from Man Utd for Lisandro Martinez and Kennedy in the summer with ex-Rangers star Calvin Bassey at the front of his argument.
According to De Mos, Rangers received a scandalous price for the player with the Dutchman describing the deal as the “worst wrong turn in the history of European football”. Ouch.
“If you eventually have so much money in your bank account, you become nonchalant and you miss creativity,” de Mos told Het Laatste Nieuws (via Voetbalzone).
“Ajax received €120m for Antony and Lisandro Martínez together last summer – a gift from their ex-trainer Ten Hag – Ajax made ten bad buys with that money. You just have to be able to do it.
“For example, they bought Calvin Bassey from Glasgow Rangers for €25m – that is the largest wrong turn in the history of European football; an indictment against Ajax’s youth policy!
“Then I ask you: Did they scout Bassey with their own eyes?”
We’ve spoken in the past about ex-Rangers star Calvin Bassey being bashed by the press for his Ajax showings and the 23-year-old is certainly in a difficult moment in the Netherlands.
Playing 36 games for Ajax this season, Calvin Bassey has scored one goal for the club and laid on five assists in his debut season.
