Former Rangers striker Cedric Itten has revealed that he still keeps in touch with Super Eagles defenders Calvin Bassey and Leon Balogun, years after they shared the dressing room at Ibrox.
Itten was part of the Rangers squad that enjoyed a successful period under former manager Steven Gerrard, with Bassey and Balogun also playing important roles in the team.
Sport247 gathered that Rangers won the Scottish Premiership title in the 2020/21 season, finishing the campaign unbeaten as they secured the league crown.
The following season, the Scottish giants enjoyed another memorable European run, reaching the UEFA Europa League final.
Rangers eventually lost the final to Eintracht Frankfurt on penalties, but the journey helped create strong relationships among the players.
Itten says those relationships have continued even after the former teammates moved on to different clubs and countries.
“It’s nice to see the boys doing so well and this bond that we have will stick together forever,” Itten said, according to the Scottish Sun.
The Swiss striker also revealed that he remained particularly close to Balogun, with their ability to speak German helping them stay in contact.
“When Leon Balogun went back, I spoke to him a lot as we shared the German language,” Itten said.
Balogun returned to Rangers for a second spell after initially leaving the club, and Itten said they continued to speak during that period.
The former Rangers striker also mentioned Bassey as another player from the squad he still keeps in touch with.
“But I speak to a lot of the boys, like Calvin Bassey, and it’s always nice to see them, like Nathan after the Scotland game,” he added.
Bassey has since continued his career in England with Fulham after leaving Rangers and having a difficult spell with Ajax in the Netherlands.
Balogun, meanwhile, has moved on to Hungarian football, where he currently plays for ETO Győr.
Although the players have taken different paths since leaving Ibrox, Itten’s comments show that the friendships built during their successful Rangers days have remained.
For the former striker, the memories of that Rangers team go beyond the trophies and European run, with the bond between the players continuing long after their time together at the club.
