It looks as though, unless things take a drastic twist, that Ajax will be the next destination for Calvin Bassey, the Dutch giants said to have stepped up their pursuit with the news that Premier League clubs are starting to sniff about.
I would still be surprised if the deal goes through without someone else making a bid and Ross Wilson – not that he needs me to tell him – would normally be well served in not accepting the first decent offer that comes in for the Nigerian international.
A report in Football Insider has claimed that Ajax are very much still leading the way, however, the goal posts have moved slightly in terms of fee:
“Ajax are in advanced talks to sign Calvin Bassey after late-night discussions with Rangers, sources have told Football Insider.
“The Dutch giants have leaped ahead of Premier League outfit Brighton in the race for the defender, 22, and are hopeful of securing a full agreement within days.
“Rangers have indicated they will now accept less than their original £25million asking price for Bassey and a bid of £20m including add-ons is set to seal the deal.”
Heart and Hand have revealed that a fee of €22m plus €5m in add-ons and a 10% sell on clause is what is on the table, not far from the £20m being reported by Football Insider.
It may be the first concrete offer, however, that they appear to be hitting the fee we want means that it isn’t worth the gamble waiting until the last minute to see if we can get a few extra million, it also gives our sporting director time to find a replacement and to strengthen in other areas of the squad.
From “who?” to “how much?”, the unknown Premier League academy reject is about to become a record breaker and, arguably, one of the single best pieces of recruitment in Scottish football history.