Rangers are currently in the closing stages of negotiations with Premier League club Southampton, who initiated contact with the Scottish club to sign fan-favourite midfielder Joe Aribo.
The Nigerian international is set to bring an end to three years at the Ibrox Stadium after he was signed from Charlton Athletic in 2019.
The Athletic report that there is mutual interest between the Nigerian international and Saints, whilst also stating that there is a £10 million release clause in his contract.
Aribo’s contract will expire in the summer of 2023, but Rangers apparently are not keen to budge on the price set by that release clause – although they may consider a package totaling £10m via various bonuses and performance-dependent clauses.
Aribo, 25, had a successful season in 2021/2022, including a promising European campaign that saw him score in the Europa League final in May 2022.
Aribo started his career at now defunct Staines Town in non-league, before being spotted by Charlton after breaking into Staines’ first team as an 18-year-old.
Arriving from Charlton Athletic when Steven Gerrard was in charge at Ibrox, Aribo has been mightily impressive during his three years in Glasgow.
After three goals and three assists in his debut season, the midfielder went on to net 15 more times and set up four additional goals in the following two campaigns.
Aribo was part of the Rangers team that lifted the club’s 55th Scottish Premiership league title in 2020-2021, as well as winning the Scottish Cup in the 2021-2022 season.
He was also a vital cog in the Scottish machine that went all the way to the Europa League final in Seville this year, scoring his side’s only goal against Eintracht
Frankfurt as they drew 1-1 and eventually lost 5-4 in the subsequent penalty shootout.
Despite being born in Camberwell in England, Aribo plays his international football with Nigeria, qualifying through his family roots.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
