Calvin Bassey will wear the captain’s armband when Fulham host Chelsea at Craven Cottage on August 24, in the opening fixture of the 2026/27 Premier League season. New manager Álvaro Arbeloa, the former Real Madrid and Liverpool full-back, has placed his early-season faith in the 26-year-old Nigerian defender, who joined from Ajax in July 2023 for a reported fee of around 21 million euros. Bassey made his 100th appearance for Fulham in May 2026. The player’s versatility, capable of playing at centre-back or left-back, fits Arbeloa’s tactical blueprint featuring a high defensive line. Fulham are targeting consecutive league wins over Chelsea for the first time since the 1970s.
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