De Boer: Please don't write Bassey off

Luuk de Jong (L) of PSV Eindhoven and Calvin Bassey of Ajax in action during the Dutch Eredivisie match between AFC Ajax and PSV at the Johan Cruijff ArenA in Amsterdam, Netherlands, 06 November 2022. EPA/MAURICE VAN STEEN

by Staff Reporter

Thursday Feb 02, 2023. 15:00

Nigeria international Calvin Bassey needs time to adjust at Dutch champions Ajax Amsterdam.

This is according to Ajax legend Ronald de Boer as he backed Bassey who has been criticized as the team blows hot and cold in the Dutch Eredivisie this season.

De Boer, who won five Eredivisie titles with Ajax, compared the left-footed defender’s situation to that of Edson Álvarez and David Neres at the club.

“Walk through the current selection. You have a group of new players who are not yet showing it,” De Boer said to Voetbal International, via Ajax Showtime.

“Think of Jorge Sánchez and Calvin Bassey, although the latter also just needs time.

“I certainly don’t want to write him off just yet, because players like Edson Álvarez and David Neres also needed time to adjust at the time.”

Bassey has played 17 matches in the Eredivisie this season – helping Ajax keep only five clean sheets and he has scored once in the process.

The 23-year-old also featured in six UEFA Champions League matches as Ajax conceded a whooping 16 goals.

Rangers sold Bassey to Ajax for a club record fee of around £20 million in July last year.