Joe Aribo is on the verge of completing a move to Southampton from Rangers after agreeing terms with the English club.
The Super Eagles midfielder has been linked with a switch to the Saints in the past few days, and European transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported today that the Nigeria international has concluded negotiations with the Premier League club regarding his wages.
The clubs have also reached an agreement on the transfer fee and payment structure, with Southampton to cough up £6 million initially and £4m in add-ons to make the total package £10m.
He is expected to undergo his mandatory medical tests in the next few days before formalizing the switch.
Aribo, 25, joined Rangers from Charlton Athletic on a free transfer in 2019 and has made 148 appearances for the club, scoring 26 goals and assisting 25.
The Super Eagles star, who will clock 26 on July 21, had a brilliant campaign last season, making 57 appearances and scoring nine times – including in the UEFA Europa League final against Eintracht Frankfurt. He also had 10 assists while playing in midfield and as a false nine.
Aribo was also a key member of the squad last year that won Rangers’ first Scottish Premiership title for the first time in 10 years.
Rangers and Scotland legend Ally McCoist, who played for the club between 1983 and 1998 scoring 251 goals in 418 matches, rates Aribo highly and is tipping him to succeed in England.
“Joe Aribo goes with our thanks and blessing. We bought him from Charlton a few years back and he’s been absolutely fabulous,” the 59-year-old former striker said.
“He’s grown and now has 20-odd caps for Nigeria, playing top class football and Southampton will be getting a very, very good player.”
Aribo will be joining several Super Eagles teammates in the Premier League, including Leicester City pair Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi, Brentford’s Frank Onyeka and Everton’s Alex Iwobi.
