JOE ARIBO looks to be on his way out of Rangers, with the Nigerian international close to joining Southampton.

The Rangers Review reported Premier League interest in the midfielder last month and a formal bid has followed. With Aribo’s contract set to expire next summer, and given he will soon turn 26, a move south this window always felt likely.

Aribo and Rangers have been good for one another and similarly, this transfer appears on the surface to be mutually beneficial. A £10million package which includes a significant sell-on fee for the club, an opportunity in the Premier League for the player.

Rangers can turn significant profit on a player who arrived for £300k and made substantial contributions to the progress achieved in his time at Ibrox.

Aribo can return to England having developed considerably. In 2019 he was playing League 1 football and is now an established international footballer with significant experience in European competition.

Questions remain regarding the future of Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent, while signings are required to bolster certain areas of the starting 11. But in isolation, this appears a good but of business. 

Aribo will be remembered fondly. A majestically skilful player, capable of breath-taking first touches, infallible close control and technical excellence. He’s played every role in midfield, filled in at left-back and lead the line in a European final.

During Giovanni van Bronckhrost’s first month at the club, Aribo was the country’s form player. Freed from the shackles of Steven Gerrard's midfield automations, the 25-year-old thrived on the unorganised chaos of that winter period.

Granted license to attack space behind the opposition defence and relieved from his responsibility in building attacks, supporters saw the player’s very best side.

And then, as Rangers stagnated, so did Aribo, who would concede later that both physical and mental fatigue were contributing factors to a form dip. He did, after all, play 70 games over the course of last season, which is quite frankly ridiculous.

It’s no coincidence that he didn’t hit his pre winter-break heights in 2022, as greater structure was established in midfield after van Bronckhorst abandoned his favoured high and wide 4-3-3 formation.

Rangers Review:

Gerrard once said of the player he brought from Charlton, “good players can play football, great players can play anywhere” in tribute to Aribo's versatility. In March, the Rangers Review hypothesised that this compliment may have in fact been something of a juxtaposition. While able to play anywhere, did Aribo need to be allowed to play everywhere to discover his true potential? Did the positional freedom granted initially under van Bronckhorst perfectly suit his varying attributes that facilitate such versatility? 

There persisted a nagging frustration with Aribo that in spite of his talent, he couldn’t lead the team with match-winning performances over a sustained period of time. 

Rangers are selling a player who has impressed, improved and demonstrated undisputed talent in the Scottish Premiership, but not one who has dominated the division for a consistent period of time.

Under van Bronckhorst, and after a proper rest over the summer, perhaps that form could’ve finally arrived consistently. That eventuality now seems unlikely.

Ross Wilson and van Bronckhorst will have to reinforce their attacking midfield options this summer. Alex Lowry is firmly a member of the first team, but can only boast a handful of appearances. Scott Arfield’s age means he shouldn’t be relied upon to perform twice a week. Ianis Hagi’s injury timeline remains unknown.

If van Bronckhorst wants to play two roaming No.8s, as evidence may confirm, the club will need to buy some.

Aribo is important but not irreplaceable and if and when he moves, will do so for a palatable fee.

His Ibrox career and transfer turnover represents the type of transfer Rangers have long referenced as the club's ambition and should enable investment in a squad that requires reinforcements.

This piece is an extract from today’s Rangers Insider newsletter, which is emailed out at 4pm every weekday with a round-up of the day's top stories and exclusive analysis from the Rangers Review team.

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