The young Burnley centre-back could follow in the same trajectory as Calvin Bassey.
Under Steven Gerrard, Glasgow Rangers signed a few players who went on to secure the Ibrox side a
major profit.
Both Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey arrived in 2019 and 2020 respectively from Charlton Athletic and
Leicester City and established themselves at the Light Blues, impressing enough in Scotland to seal
moves away.
Aribo moved to the Premier League last summer, joining Southampton for a fee of £10m while Bassey
joined European heavyweights Ajax for a club record £23m transfer fee, which represented a stunning
profit from just the £250k they spent on him two years prior – having being dubbed a “top talent” by
journalist Keith Downie in the process.
Bassey, in particular, developed at a rapid rate during his spell in Glasgow, emerging from being just
another talented youngster to a first-team star who claimed a Premiership title medal, before being an
instrumental cog in the Gers’ run to the Europa League final during the 2021/22 campaign, also adding a
Scottish Cup winners medal to his collection.
Could Michael Beale now secure his own talent from south of the border that may embark on a similar
trajectory to Bassey? As the Light Blues are now being linked with a move for Burnley centre-back Bobby
Thomas this summer according to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon via his Patreon.
If Beale wants him as part of his squad ahead of next term, then he must act fast, as Championship sides
Queen Park Rangers and Cardiff City are also keen on the 22-year-old.
Could Bobby Thomas join Rangers?
Having signed just two defenders during the transfer window, Dujon Sterling and Leon Balogun, Beale
may wish to add some more depth to his area, especially with the rigours of a hectic season ahead.
Although Thomas has made just 73 senior appearances over the previous three seasons, he was hailed as
a player who “has the makings of a good defender” by journalist Sam Frost in January following his
departure from a loan spell at Bristol Rovers, and it suggests he has plenty of talent to succeed at the top
level.
He suitably impressed in the English third tier last season, averaging 1.3 tackles per game, while also
winning four aerial duels per game, indicating that he could provide a commanding presence at set
pieces.
Bassey registered just 1.8 aerial duels won during his final season at Rangers while edging slightly ahead
with regard to tackles won per game (1.5), but these figures show that Thomas could be an interesting
choice for Beale ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
Coulibaly still has three years left on his current contract with Borussia Dortmund. And he will now hope
to find a club within the next six weeks where he can get the playing time he needs to further his
development.
Leave a Reply