Rangers are now resigned to losing Calvin Bassey this summer, but not for a penny less than £25M, and likely considerably more with Ajax, Brighton, Aston Villa and West Ham now the front-runners, with Ajax and Brighton holding initial talks with Rangers’ board.

The prize Ibrox asset, 22, was a gigantic standout in the Europa League final, and around 10+ clubs have been monitoring him since, including sides in Germany and Italy, but Brighton and Ajax have stolen a major march by making official approaches to Rangers.

As manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst said, Rangers were effectively resigned to losing the defender, albeit the Dutch boss was more vague about that timescale, and it seems the sale of the Nigerian has accelerated with the PL side and Dutch giants’ recent interest.

That Bassey and Ajax chief Alfred Shreuder got on very well during a phone call, and more importantly, had one at all, suggests that a move is a goer, and the Eredivisie side are in front position to grab him.

But Brighton have contacted Rangers as well and Bassey would certainly not be averse to a move to the PL, as the Promised Land which most English players want.

As for price?

It’s looking like, by a distance, the Scottish transfer record with a £30M fee likely.

Rangers will not sell Bassey for less than £25M and to get prime position a bidding war will ensue between all suitors – Rangers do not NEED to sell the player for below his value.

Our finances are not as strong as Celtic’s, but the sales of Gerrard, Patterson and Aribo have given a massive injection of a gross £30M in the past 8 months so the numbers are much better and Rangers do not need to sell as a matter of desperation.

Meaning Bassey, as is now looking likely, would go for a record fee north of the border.

One to watch.