How 'colossal' Calvin Bassey has become Fulham's defensive rock | OneFootball

Nigerian is shining at Craven Cottage and has been one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League this season

Fulham signed Calvin Bassey from Ajax in July 2023. In his first interview, the centre-back got all the customary lines about his excitement out the way before adding: “It’s a London club as well, so it’s always a plus to go home.”

In a year and a half, Bassey has become a cult hero at Fulham, cherished by team-mates for his left-field sense of humour and adored by fans as Fulham’s rock at the back who has strengthened their defence no end.

The £19million which Fulham paid to Ajax may feel a bargain outlay now, but it took Bassey a considerable amount of time to find consistency in his performances and to nail down a starting berth at Craven Cottage.

Bassey starred again for Fulham as they beat Tottenham 2-0 on Sunday to boost their European hopes

AFP via Getty Images

His failed move to Ajax, where he spent just a season, had stalled his career and hit his confidence, but Fulham took a chance on the defender. Marco Silva, whose coaching methods have turned many a career around while at Fulham, has since restored Bassey to the robust, modern-day centre-back who so shone in Scotland with Rangers.

His steady emergence as a critical cog in the Fulham machine can be illustrated by casting back to his first meeting with Tottenham, in October 2023. Bassey had a shocker.

Too eager to attempt risky passes into midfield which he had no guarantee of pulling off, one misplaced pass out from the back saw Spurs intercept. Bassey tracked back, but while trying to tackle Heung-min Son, he collided into his own centre-back partner, Tim Ream, affording Son the time and space to open the scoring. It was an ugly goal to concede, for which Bassey was unquestionably at fault. Fulham lost 2-0.

Last Sunday, Fulham beat Spurs by the same scoreline. This time, Bassey shrugged Djed Spence off and then wrestled Cristian Romero off with a stern left arm before dribbling straight past him. Both Tottenham players went tumbling to the ground, unable to handle Bassey’s physicality. In every sense, his stature has grown immensely in the past 20 months.

The 25-year-old Leicester academy product scored his first goal for Fulham in a dramatic 2-1 Premier League win against Manchester United at Old Trafford last February, Fulham’s first win against United since 2009.

Bassey scored for Fulham in their FA Cup win at Manchester United at the start of the month

REUTERS

A year and a week later, Bassey opened the scoring in their FA Cup last 16 match at Old Trafford with a towering header from a corner. Once Fulham had prevailed on penalties to reach the quarter-finals, Bassey could be seen waddling over to the away end, leading his team-mates in a celebratory dance. In that moment, it was patently clear how keenly the Fulham faithful have taken the mischievous defender into their hearts.

His colossal performance that Sunday afternoon - combining defensive astuteness with his increasingly accomplished passing range - prompted the suggestion by some supporters on social media that Bassey might be the best centre-back in the Premier League, outside the traditional Big Six clubs. The likes of Nottingham Forest’s Murillo or Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi might have something to say about that, but Bassey is certainly in the conversation.

To his closest friends at the club - Emile Smith Rowe and Nigeria team-mate Alex Iwobi - Bassey is a prankster and a bundle of laughs.