"Right now" - Chris Jack drops intriguing claim on 6ft Rangers gem who could have "key role"

Rangers defender Calvin Bassey is not ‘a starter’ for the Ibrox outfit, according to senior Gers journalist Chris Jack.

The 22-year-old has established himself in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s first-team squad this season, making 38 appearances across all competitions, but is perhaps yet to convince over his long-term credentials.

Bassey arrived at Ibrox from boyhood club Leicester City back in July 2020 and found himself firmly behind first-choice left-back Borna Barisic in the pecking order.

Throughout his maiden campaign, the 6 foot ace made just 15 outings, with only five of those coming as starts as former manager Steven Gerrard cautiously eased him into life north of the border.

However, injuries to the likes of Leon Balogun and Filip Helander have provided Bassey with ample opportunities to shine throughout 2021/22.

And the versatile full-back has showcased his quality in his natural position and in a more unfamiliar centre-back role, featuring from the off in Rangers’ last 20 Scottish Premiership games.

Yet his underlying numbers indicate the Nigerian still has some improvements to make before he can be considered a key figure for the Glasgow giants.

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As per WhoScored, Bassey has been Rangers’ 12th best performer this term, earning a season rating of 6.79.

And his tallies of 1.5 tackles, 0.6 interceptions and 1.2 clearances per league game also see him rank outside the top seven for each metric when compared to his teammates.

Jack believes that although Bassey can play a ‘key role’ in a successful Rangers squad challenging for silverware, he’s not at the level required to start week in, week out just yet.

He told GiveMeSport: “Right