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Mya Bollan

The 5 most expensive Rangers departures as Calvin Bassey's Ajax move takes top spot

Rangers have smashed their record transfer fee after Calvin Bassey secured his move to Ajax.

It has been a hugely successful summer for the Light Blues when it comes to player sales, with Bassey's fellow Nigerian Joe Aribo departing for Southampton in a deal worth £6million. But it is the defender's departure that has set the record for Rangers' most expensive sale. The 22-year-old has made the move to Amsterdam to join the Eredivisie champions ahead of the 2022/23 campaign. Bassey has penned a five-year deal as he replaces outgoing Lisandro Martinez, who heads for the Premier League to join Manchester United.

But with Bassey taking top spot on Rangers' most expensive departures, some may be left wondering the other players who have topped the transfer table. Luckily, Record Sport has listed the the top five most expensive Rangers sales from Patterson to a man who has found his way back to Ibrox after all these years...

5. Jean-Alain Boumsong

Frenchman Jean-Alain Boumsong departed Rangers for Newcastle United in January, 2005. He left Ibrox less than a season after joining Alex McLeish's side in 2004 on a five-year contract.

Boumsong quickly adapted to the Scottish game, showing his skills at centre-half. And his form attracted interest from other clubs, including Newcastle United who were managed by ex-Gers ace Graeme Souness.

The defender joined the Tyneside club for £8million, signing a five-and-a-half contract with the Magpies. Despite leaving in January, the centre-half played enough games for Rangers to bag a league winners medal when McLeish's men secured the title in the summer of 2005, despite having been a Newcastle player for around five months by the time Rangers won the title.

4. Gio van Bronckhorst

Gio van Bronckhorst is now in charge of his former club. But back in 2001, GVB made his side a few quid when he signed a five year deal with Arsenal worth £8.5million. The Dutchman spent three years at Rangers as a player between 1998 and 2001.

He made 117 appearances, netting 22 for the Govan side. And his impressive performances saw him make the move down south to join Arsene Wenger's Arsenal side in June 2001.

The Gunners boss sought to replace the midfield void left by departing Emmanuel Petit. However, Bronckhorst's Arsenal career was marked by a cruciate knee ligament injury which saw him sidelined after just a few months in London. However, he recovered to make 64 appearances for the Gunners, scoring twice.

3. Alan Hutton

Alan Hutton joined Rangers at just 16-years-old back in September 2000. The right-back made his first-team debut in December 2002 against Partick Thistle in the then named Scottish Premier League.

Hutton didn't secure regular first team football for Rangers until the 2007/08 season, after signing a new five-year deal with the club. The right-back made 94 appearances in total for the Light Blues, earning praise for Sir Alex Ferguson. And his form sparked interest from a number of clubs including Premier League outfit Tottenham.

Hutton then made the move to Spurs in January 2008 for a fee reported to be in the region of £9million. He made his Tottenham debut in the February in a 1-1 draw with Manchester United.

2. Nathan Patterson

Rangers youth graduate Nathan Patterson has been knocked off the top spot for most expensive sales. But the right-back still sits in a respectable second place.

Making his debut in January 2020 in a Scottish Cup clash against Stranraer at Ibrox, Patterson went on to impress. He quickly caught the eye of clubs south of the border after helping Rangers win their 55th league title.

Nathan Patterson (Getty Images)

One of the interested parties was Everton with then boss Rafa Benitez was keen on the teen. The Premier League side paid the Gers £12m up front, plus a further £4m add-ons in a deal worth £16million as Patterson put pen to paper in a five-and-a-half-year deal.

It was a slow start to Patterson's Everton career as he initially took up a spot in the Toffee's U23 side with just one outing for the first team. The right-back was then plagued by an ankle injury that saw him need surgery, forcing him out for the remainder of the 2021/22 season. However, Patterson still has plenty time left to shine at just 20-years-old.

1. Calvin Bassey

The defender's departure has bagged Rangers a record fee. The Nigeria international's move from Glasgow to Amsterdam has been completed for an £19.59million plus add-ons.

Bassey's profile sky-rocketed in the latter half of the 2021/22 campaign, with standout displays as Gio van Bronckhorst's side made their way to the Europa League Final. And despite interest from clubs south of the border - most notably Steven Gerrard's Aston Villa side and Brighton- the stopper opted for an Amsterdam adventure following talks with new manager Alfred Schreuder.

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