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Southampton have reportedly stepped up their efforts to sign Rangers star Joe Aribo, with the club apparently beginning negotiations with the Glasgow giants for the midfielder’s services, Megasportsarena.com reports.
A deal is close to being agreed and the fee is believed to be worth £10m including add-ons.
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 totalling £10m via various bonuses and performance-dependent clauses.
The 25-year-old, who last played in England for Charlton Athletic in 2019, prior to joining Rangers on a four-year deal via free transfer.
Camberwell-born Aribo featured heavily in Rangers’ Europa League run, featuring in 17 games – scoring the opener in the final against Eintracht Frankfurt, which ultimately ended in a penalty defeat for the Ibrox outfit.
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.
A versatile midfielder who can play wide or centrally, Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst had utilised Aribo as a makeshift striker during an injury crisis last season.
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