'€23m thrown away, bad purchase' - Super Eagles star comes under heavy criticism

The Nigeria international continues to face harsh criticisms following his summer switch to the Eredivisie

Two former Netherlands internationals, René van der Gijp and Wim Kieft, have taken aim at Calvin Bassey for his purported inability to play the Ajax way.

After joining Ajax from Rangers for 23 million euros, Bassey went straight into the club’s first-team lineup.

The Super Eagles star has, however, been part of the Ajax side that has failed to fly so far this term. Bassey played in all of Ajax’s group-stage matches as the club crashed out of the UEFA Champions League.

The reigning league champions also lost to bitter rivals PSV to lose their grip at the top of the Eredivisie table.

And former PSV winger René van der Gijp, 61, is convinced that Ajax’s purchase of Bassey is part of the club’s problems, insisting that the defender is not a good fit for the Dutch giants.

“That Bassey was 23 million just thrown away,” Van der Gijp opined, as per Ajax Show Time.

“He’s a nice player for the bottom of the Premier League. You only have to defend ninety minutes in your own sixteen, and the moment you have the ball, you only have to kick it forward. At Ajax, he has to play football and that won’t work.”

Bad purchase?
Former Ajax and PSV striker Wim Kieft is also not impressed with Bassey’s output, despite conceding that the Nigeria international is not solely to blame for Ajax’s poor form.

Kieft admits that Bassey has some positive qualities, but the 59-year-old is convinced the Super Eagles defender is not an Ajax player.

“This boy is fast and physically okay, but he can’t play football. He’s so wild. That’s a bad purchase,” Kieft said, as per Voetbal.

Bassey, however, has largely ignored the severe criticisms he has endured from all corners of Amsterdam.

The Leicester City academy product has one goal and two assists in 11 Eredivisie matches, as well as two assists in six Champions League games.