Super Eagles Midfielder Joe Aribo has put pen to paper for English premier league side Southampton on a permanent deal.
The 25-year-old Nigeria international moves to St. Mary’s after three successful seasons at Ibrox, where he scored 26 goals in 149 appearances and won the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup.
Aribo represented Nigeria at the 2021 AFCON held in Cameroon in January 2022.
Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl said: “Joe is a player with many qualities to his game, and we are very excited to welcome him to the squad in time for the pre-season trip to Austria.
“We believe Joe can bring energy and creativity to our side. Feeling comfortable in so many different positions is very helpful for a manager and shows he has a high level of football intelligence, with the ability to take on new information quickly.
“He has played a lot of games already in his career, at a very high level, and his performances in the Europa League prove he has the quality to play in the Premier League. This is a big ambition for him, and he is hungry to show everybody he can do it.”
“It’s an amazing feeling, a dream come true. This is where I’ve wanted to be since I was a child growing up playing, so to say that I’m here now is really exciting.”
In the hours before his move to Southampton was confirm, Aribo took to social media to thank Rangers Football Club and their fans for their support during his time in Glasgow.
He wrote on Twitter: “It has been an amazing journey being part of this special club, I hold Rangers very close to my heart as they gave me the opportunity to showcase my talent on a bigger stage. Playing at Ibrox was a dream and I am glad I got to experience it.
“I’m happy I was able to play a part in the historic 55 league title winning season. I’d like to thank everyone associated with this great club for all you’ve done for me during my time here, you’ve always made me feel welcome and I’ve always had your full support.
“I’ve developed into an even better player, credit to the supporters who always had my back and stayed patient during the tough times. We created a lot of memories together, memories that I will carry with me throughout the rest of my career.
“I wish the club nothing but the best for the future and I’ll always be checking in. Joe Aribo.”
Joseph Oluwaseyi Temitope Ayodele-Aribo is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Southampton. He began his club career at Staines Town then spent four years with Charlton Athletic in the English Football League
