2021 Super Eagles invitee Calvin Bassey has broken his silence following the departure of iconic former Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard from Premiership giants Glasgow Rangers.

Gerrard left the Light Blues on Thursday after three and a half years in charge and the highlight of his stay at Ibrox was ending Celtic's hopes of claiming a tenth title in a row.

Bassey was part of the Rangers Invincible Team that went the whole 2020-2021 season unbeaten, playing eight games in the division.

The Anglo-Italian-Nigerian left-back was handed his senior debut by Gerrard off the bench in a league game against St Mirren last August, approximately a month after leaving Leicester City as a free agent.

Everyone associated with Rangers had already been tipped off about Gerrard's imminent departure to Aston Villa as a replacement for the dismissed Dean Smith even though the England legend repeatedly stated that he was going nowhere.

Writing on Instagram, Bassey said : "After the last few days, I just want to take the time to say a thank you to the gaffer, macca, mick, TC, Jordan and Scotty.

"Their support and advice has helped me so much. Not only as a footballer, but as a man

"I'll always be thankful for the faith that was put in me. For bringing me to this great club in the first place, to giving me the opportunities to develop. And not forgetting delivering number 55 and what that meant to everybody at Rangers

"Wishing all of you the best with your next chapter and hoping that you enjoy more success in the years ahead".

The 21-year-old Bassey wasn't named in the latest Super Eagles squad for the November internationals, with manager Gernot Rohr opting to hand a recall to Porto defender Zaidu Sanusi to provide cover for Jamilu Collins at left-back.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel