Calvin Bassey has revealed the abuse he got with Ajax was so bad his mother had to check how he was coping after his big money move from Rangers.

The defender completed a £19 million move from Ibrox in the summer after an outstanding campaign for the Ibrox side who he helped to reach the Europa League Cup Final, where they were beaten on penalties by Eintracht Frankfurt.

But his move to the Netherlands initially turned sour when he was heavily criticised after a series of disappointing displays, although he has recently been praised after an upturn in results with Ajax.

And Bassey, 23, revealed the abuse got so bad his mum had to intervene.

He said: "Every footballer will say criticism does not affect him, but it does affect you. A hundred per cent.

"My mum took screenshots of the criticism. She was concerned and she called me. She doesn't know how it works.

"She's worried because she thinks no one likes her son.

"Football is mentally tough. Everyone sees us playing in big stadiums. We drive a nice car. Don't get me wrong, we live the lives thousands would like to live, but the sacrifices are not to be underestimated.

"Mentally, football can be exhausting. When everything goes well, it's easy, just like with people in the office. But if it doesn't go well, it's different. Then it doesn't really matter if you go to a nice house after work. There is more to life than material things.

"I've only been a pro for a few years, remember? At Rangers, it got better and better for me, but there comes a time when your form dips.

"With me, you could call the beginning of this season a down period. The team didn't play well and I prefer to play central rather than left back. It was also a character test."

Meanwhile, Michael Beale has revealed Nnamdi Ofoborh will see a third specialist in a bid to get to the bottom of a heart issue which halted his Rangers career before it began.

The 23-year-old midfielder’s condition was discovered after signing from Bournemouth two years ago and he has yet to make his debut.

Ofoborh this week posted three images of himself in hospital on his Instagram account, one of which was captioned: “Two years, two operations, hundreds of appointments” and another said: “Silent on the situation so I look like the bad guy, all the mistreatment of the last two years will come out.”

However, sympathetic boss Beale, who was assistant coach to Steven Gerrard when Ofoborh was signed, insisted that the player is “getting the best help possible” as he continues his search for answers.

“I don’t see how he can be commenting on the club,” said the Gers boss.

“It is a really personal matter. Since coming to Rangers he has never been able to train with the group or play with the group.

“He has been away to see the best cardiologists we could find. He has seen two different ones and we are now supporting him to see a third opinion.

“He has been away and seen the best people possible. He has been away and seen the specialist that dealt with Daley Blind and Christian Eriksen as well.

“It is fair to say those opinions have not always been perfect so he has managed to get back into light training but our advice from the specialist is just light training that anybody could do.

“I am close to him and I really feel for his situation, he is a young man who has had his whole life turned upside down in the last two years and he has found it really difficult with the feedback he has been getting.

“But he is away to see a third specialist and the club is supporting him on that.

“The club has been fantastic in the support for him the whole way through the two years. It is just a really difficult situation.

“Everything we could have done as a football club we have done.

“It is just really frustrating for Nnamdi that he can’t do as much as he would like but that’s us acting on the advice we have been given and sometimes that is difficult.”