Bassey: Eagles most wanted defender
Calvin Bassey grew up in the London Borough of Newham and admits that his upbringing made him “thick-skinned”.
This summer transfer window could see Bassey become Nigeria’s most expensive defender in history after Aston Villa, Brighton and Ajax held initial talks with the Gers over the potential signing of the versatile player valued at £25m.
Former Eagles defender Taribo West currently holds the record of the most expensive defender after Inter Milan signed him for £10.2m from Auxerre in 1997 and the 22-year-old could surpass that feat if the Rangers board sanctions his exit as they did for his international team-mate when he joined Southampton last week.
The versatile defender previously viewed by some as a weak link in the Ibrox side after joining on an unheralded free transfer is arguably the club’s top asset after a transformational 2021-22 campaign.
His broad smile that riles countless forwards whom he shackles during games creeps across Bassey’s face as he recalls how football kept him focused “despite being through bare trauma”
Prospects for children growing up in Newham were limited enough, as they had only two options which was football or going on the streets according to the former Leicester City defender.
He explained how football was his route to a better life.
At 15, Bassey had a dream like many young men to become a professional footballer but he was without a club, questioning his long-term future in the game.
After receiving numerous setbacks in his youth career Bassey would never have thought his career would lead to the success he has already achieved at such a young age, which included becoming an invincible at Rangers in his first season at the club.
From being rejected by Leyton Orient to Charlton Athletic, he was a long way from realising his full potential in the game and the future success he would have at Rangers.
He had ambitions to make it to the top, although it took a trial with Leicester City in 2015 to kickstart his football dream and to create a path for himself for a better life for himself and his family.
Bassey needed a tough mindset in difficult times and the strains and ups and downs of youth football took their toll on the young defender.
“When you are from an area like this, you’re going to be hard-skinned because you’ve probably been through trauma,” Bassey told Rising Ballers YouTube channel.
“The two options you have are football or going on the streets or something.
“It’s easy to be distracted and get sucked in. Having football kept me on the straight and narrow.
“It literally gave me structure in my life. The two options you have is football or going onto the roads.
Bassey struggled after being released from youth clubs when he was still living in London, with his footballing dream edging ever closer to becoming a distant aspiration.
He was rejected by Leyton Orient and feared that his career would not turn out as planned.
