Manchester United forward Bryan Mbeumo has praised Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey, describing him as one of the toughest opponents he has faced in his career, Soccernet.ng reports.

Bassey has built a strong reputation in the Premier League as a powerful and reliable centre-back. The Fulham defender is known for his strength, pace and ability to read the game well. These qualities make him extremely difficult for attackers to beat, whether the battle is on the ground or in the air.

During a recent appearance on the Zack Nani show, Mbeumo spoke openly about how difficult it is to play against the Nigerian international.

According to him, Bassey stood out in the matches they played against Fulham because of his physical power and defensive intelligence.

“Calvin Bassey, damn. I think he really stood out in games. Even the two previous games against them, he was solid,” Mbeumo said.

“Yeah, Calvin Bassey is a beast, the guy is a beast. He’s too strong, it’s crazy, and on top of that he’s fast too. It’s not cool to play against him.”

Earlier, Manchester City goal machine Erling Haaland also spoke about the Nigerian defender and how strong he is.

Haaland made the comments after facing Fulham in an exciting Premier League match that ended 5-4 in favour of Manchester City. The Norwegian striker highlighted the physical battle that players face in England’s top flight.

Speaking on the Rest is Football podcast, Haaland explained that the Premier League is far more physical than the Bundesliga, where he previously played for Borussia Dortmund. He used Bassey as an example of the kind of defender attackers must deal with.

“It's not easy [playing in the Premier League]. It's hard, it's very hard. Coming from Germany, here, it's different; it's more physical,” Haaland said.

“It's more about duels, about contact. Even playing against Fulham, that's a top team. Look at the game, it's 5-4 in the end.

“It's incredible. When you play against Bassey, you know. How strong is he? Then you have Andersen, who's huge. Every game comes with its perks, even though you have your own plans.

“In the end, the physicality is intense because you also have so many games. That also means you have to work more on the recovery side and be ready for the next game.”

Bassey, Fulham’s Player of the Season for the 2024/25 campaign, has already shown his talents at Leicester City, Rangers and Ajax before making the move to Fulham.