Brighton & Hove Albion are plotting a new attempt to land Calvin Bassey after missing out on him to Ajax last summer.
According to The Athletic, the Seagulls have reignited their interest in the versatile defender as they brace themselves for life after Levi Colwill.
Brighton hoped to land Bassey from Rangers last summer, but Ajax beat them to his services by agreeing to an £18.7 million deal with the Scottish club.
After a failed attempt to lure the 23-year-old to the Amex Stadium, Brighton turned to Colwill, who at the time was still waiting for his first Premier League appearance.
Bassey’s rejection proved a blessing in disguise as the 20-year-old went from strength to strength in 2022/23, especially in the second half of the season, earning high acclaim from Robert de Zerbi.
The Italian manager was desperate to keep hold of the prodigious defender. However, Chelsea turned down the Seagulls’ £30m bid to give Colwill a chance to join Mauricio Pochettino’s pre-season squad.
While the England Under-21 international’s future at Stamford Bridge remains uncertain, Brighton will probably have to wait for the Argentine manager to decide whether he sees Colwill as a first-team prospect.
However, the impatience seems to be catching up with De Zerbi, who is keen to reinforce his squad after guiding the Amex outfit to their maiden European qualification.
So Bassey’s name is back in fashion, even though Ajax may not be willing to sell the Nigerian defender after he seamlessly slotted into their tactical set-up last term.
In his first season in Amsterdam, the Leicester City academy graduate made 39 appearances in all competitions, racking up one goal and five assists.
Capable of playing as a left-back, Bassey could also fill in for Pervis Estupinan, though he would ideally partner with captain Lewis Dunk in the heart of De Zerbi’s defence.
But Brighton must convince Ajax to sanction a deal first.
