Arsenal were briefly interested in signing Calvin Bassey from Rangers before the centreback moved to Ajax in the summer.

NAPLES, ITALY - OCTOBER 12: Calvin Bassey of AFC Ajax during the UEFA Champions League group A match between SSC Napoli and AFC Ajax at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on October 12, 2022 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
NAPLES, ITALY – OCTOBER 12: Calvin Bassey of AFC Ajax during the UEFA Champions League group A match between SSC Napoli and AFC Ajax at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on October 12, 2022 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)

22-year-old Calvin Bassey signed for Ajax for £20.7m in the summer after reported interested from a number of clubs.

One of those was apparently Arsenal who, although expressing an interest in the player, did nothing after that to try and sign him.

“Arsenal contacted us and we made it known to Rangers, but they didn’t follow up on the discussion,” a rep from Bassey’s agency told Own Goal Nigeria. “We also had interest from Aston Villa and West Ham but in the end Ajax had the best offer.

“Not in terms of money but for his development. They promised regular game time.”

Arsenal were of course scrambling for a midfielder as the window closed but Bassey moved on 20 July, showing they were interested in a midfielder long before their deadline day chase of Douglas Luiz.

Bassey has made 13 appearances for Ajax so far this season, scoring one and assisting four, playing all but six minutes of the Amsterdam side’s season if you ignore the minutes he missed after being shown a straight red in the Johan Cruyff Shield.