Bassey urges patience with Arbeloa

Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey has urged Fulham to remain patient with new manager Álvaro Arbeloa as the club look to recover from a difficult start to the Premier League season, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Fulham have lost their opening three league games against Chelsea, Sunderland and Crystal Palace, leaving them without a point ahead of Saturday’s trip to Anfield to face Liverpool.

Despite the poor results, Bassey believes there have been encouraging signs in Fulham’s performances and that the players are gradually adapting to Arbeloa’s methods after the Spaniard took charge during the summer.

“I’m excited. You can see from the way we’ve played that there’s a lot of positives,” Bassey said in an interview published by Fulham’s official website.

“It’s a journey. We’ve only been with him for two months or so, so it’s very new, and it’s going to take time to adjust.”

Bassey, who has started all three league games and captained the Cottagers under Arbeloa, also praised the manager’s calm approach during the difficult opening weeks.

The Nigerian defender will now help lead Fulham into a challenging encounter at Liverpool, with the 26-year-old acknowledging the quality they will face at Anfield.

“It’s not going to be easy. You know what’s coming when you play Liverpool; they have top players,” he said.

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“It’s just about doing our homework and seeing how we can hurt them.”

Bassey has also embraced the responsibility of captaining Fulham, describing the role as a huge privilege while insisting it has not changed his approach to leadership.

“Being able to captain this club is unbelievable,” he said.

“I’m just myself and I try to help everyone.”

The 26-year-old joined Fulham from Ajax in 2023 and has since established himself as a key member of the squad. He was named the club’s Player of the Season for the 2024/25 campaign and has remained a regular under Arbeloa.

Bassey is also attracting interest from Inter Milan, while Fulham are reportedly open to fresh discussions over his contract.

His current deal runs until 2027, with the club holding an option to extend it by another year.