Great compliment that clubs like this approach PSV

PSV’s youth academy has undergone an enormous metamorphosis since 2012. During the tenure of general manager Tiny Sanders and technical director Marcel Brands, it was decided—partly driven by the dire financial situation at the time—that the first team selection would have to consist of more than a third of its own youth players.

And so it happened because the club pumped millions into the youth academy. It paid off, because PSV has earned between €250 and €300 million over the past ten years from the sale of homegrown players. With this sum, the club belongs to the absolute global top tier in terms of revenue from its own youth, and the end of this approach is by no means yet in sight.

Players such as Cody Gakpo, Noni Madueke and Memphis Depay generated around 125 million euros for PSV, but players such as Jordan Teze, Steven Bergwijn, and Donyell Malen also brought in millions. The result is that clubs across Europe are setting their sights on PSV. So Red Bull Leipzig recently bought Ryan Thomas away from PSV, but in the meantime clubs such as Sturm Graz from Austria have also found their way to Eindhoven.

The Austrian Sturm Graz has meanwhile also contacted PSV about Essien Bassey. This is reported by Eindhovens Dagblad. The Austrians want to add the nineteen-year-old defender directly to the A-squad. A bigger compliment can the PSV youth academy really not get.

The nineteen-year-old right-back Bassey has come to the attention of Sturm Graz thanks to his pace and footballing ability. The Austrians would like to make his move from PSV permanent. Bassey still has a contract with PSV until mid-2027, but the club intends to extend his expiring contract. Earnest Stewart therefore believes in the development of the defender, and so the people at the Philips Stadium offices have no intention of cooperating with Bassey’s departure.

Sturm Graz wishes to get things moving and already informed the young defender that they see him as an asset for the first team. The team is second in the Austrian league and therefore still has a chance of earning a ticket for the Champions League.

At PSV, Bassey is still waiting for his debut for the first team, although that no longer seems far off. For Jong PSV, he played 27 official matches this season and provided five assists.