Calvin Bassey: Underfire Nigeria defender earns praise from teammate Jorrel Hato

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Calvin Bassey has received praise from Ajax youth defender Jorrel Hato, who just got promoted to the Ajax senior team amidst criticism from a section of Ajax supporters.

The Nigerian defender has been a subject of attack following his recent poor showing at Ajax but Jorrel has given insights into the quality of Nigerian defender, Bassey, while showering praises on the summer signing.

“In the beginning, I was also a bit shy. Feeling comfortable in the group of players comes naturally,” Hato told Ajax’s website.

“In training, I was also next to him as a left-back this week. Then you see how he does things. Defensively he is very strong.”

Calvin’s critics have questioned his defensive abilities since making his move from the Scottish side, Glasgow Rangers for a record €23million.

Irrespective of the criticism, Jorrel Hato’s comments give an insight into how highly the Nigerian is regarded within the Club.

The former Leicester City U-23 player, Bassey, spent two seasons with the Glasgow-based team before joining the Dutch side ahead of the 2022/2023 season. He has scored a goal in 12 Dutch Eredivisie games for Ajax this season.