Bassey not worth €23m –Sneijder

Bassey not worth €23m –Sneijder

Former Ajax midfielder Wesley Sneijder insists Calvin Bassey is not worth the record-breaking fee Ajax paid to bring him from Rangers.

Bassey joined Ajax from Rangers for a record-breaking fee of €23m last summer, making him the most expensive defender in the history of the club.

The ex-Inter Milan star was also critical of Bassey’s performances for Ajax, saying the Dutch champions have not improved with the Nigerian.

“I still think €23m is too much,”  Sneijder told Veronica Offside, as per, VI.

“This concerns what is demanded of a defender.

“He plays at Ajax, so he will have to be able to play football.

“He might be fantastic in another league. But he has a hard time when he keeps getting released and he has to play from the back.”

While Sneijder was critical of Bassey’s performance, the former Dutch international heaped plaudits on the Nigerian for recognising his weakness as a defender.

“He has to find a middle ground in handing in the balls a little faster. Knowing your own weaknesses is also a quality. When you realise that you have to hand in the ball quickly, otherwise things can go wrong,” Sneijder said.

Nonetheless, Bassey will not be too bothered about Sneijder’s latest tirade against him after putting in a man-of-the-match display in Ajax’s 1-0 win over NEC Nijmegen.

Despite his troubles in the first half of the year, Bassey has had a decent start to life at Ajax. The 23-year-old has made 31 appearances in all competitions for the Dutch champions, scoring one goal and creating another five.

Nonetheless, Bassey will not be too bothered about Sneijder’s latest tirade against him after putting in a man-of-the-match display in Ajax’s 1-0 win over NEC Nijmegen.

Despite his troubles in the first half of the year, Bassey has had a decent start to life at Ajax. The 23-year-old has made 31 appearances in all competitions for the Dutch champions, scoring one goal and creating another five.