Southampton announce the signing of Joe Aribo from Rangers

Southampton have completed the signing of versatile midfielder Joe Aribo from Scottish Premiership club Rangers.

The 25-year-old joins Saints in a £6 million deal plus a potential £4m in add-ons after putting pen to paper on a four-year contract.

“It’s an amazing club with a lot of history here, and it’s a good plan with what’s to come next – I’m really excited for the journey,” he said via the Southampton official website.

“The Premier League is the best league in the world. I’ve been watching it since I was a young boy – it’s always been a goal for me to play here and show what I can do on this stage.

“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.”

Known for his ability to play across the midfield, Aribo’s versatility and eye for goal underpin his overall brilliance as he offers new dynamics to the Saints.

The Nigerian international spearheaded Rangers’ attack in the Europa League final against Eintracht Frankfurt, scoring the Gers’ only goal as they lost out on penalties.

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhüttl 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.

Aribo scored 26 goals and provided 25 assists in 149 appearances in all competitions for the Glasgow outfit following his move from Charlton Athletic in January 2019.

He was pivotal in helping Rangers end a 10-year wait for the Scottish Premiership crown, starting 27 of the 33 league matches and recording 11 goal involvements in their 2021-22 title-winning run.