Rangers defender and Nigeria Calvin Bassey.Bassey.

Beale urges Rangers to cash in on Bassey ‘if money being bandied about is a reality’

Queens Park Rangers manager Michael Beale has urged Rangers to cash in on their most sought-after defender Calvin Bassey in the current transfer window.

The 22-year-old Nigeria international enjoyed a great season with the Gers, helping them to clinch the Scottish Cup and reach the final of the Europa League.

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His displays have attracted a host of European clubs who are baying for his services, among them Premier League side Aston Villa, and according to Beale, who was assistant manager to Steven Gerrard at Rangers, the time might be ripe for the Scottish giants to do business on the player who has two years left on his deal.

“If the money being bandied about for Calvin is actually a reality then what a return on your investment that is,” Beale said as quoted by Daily Record.

“I think the key thing for Ross Wilson and the staff there is to have the conveyor belt in place. I think the cross-border thing really helped in terms of taking a player like [Calvin Bassey] for just over £200,000. The same with Joe Aribo.

“Having the conveyor belt in place is really important. That conveyor belt can come through your own academy, like a Nathan Patterson, or it can come from outside. But it’s important when players come and they reach a selling point… With the TV money, it’s the same in the Championship as it is for Glasgow Rangers.

“You have to sell at the right time.”

However, Beale is also keen to see Bassey continue at Rangers if the club decides to stick with him.

“On a selfish side I’d like to see him continue because I know he’s having a lovely time,” Beale added.

“I think you make an environment in a football club that players love to come into and work. That changing room at Rangers has really come together over the last few years.

“Both from disappointments and success, but also the racism case involving Glen Kamara. It really brought people together going through that. And going through the Covid time, when we really supported each other.

“I think it’s a really hard place to leave, albeit that to be sustainable – exactly the same as we are at QPR – you have to develop players on. If those players then have people coming after them, it means the team must have done well because the team is the vehicle.”

Last season, Bassey, who was part of the Nigeria squad that recently played two Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Sierra Leone and Sao Tome and Principe, made 29 top-flight appearances for Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side.

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