Sky Sports man doesn’t see Rangers ace Joe Aribo joining Crystal Palace soon
Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge has told Give Me Sport he does not expect Rangers midfielder Joe Aribo to move to Crystal Palace anytime soon.
The Daily Mail claimed late in November that the Premier League outfit, alongside fellow London clubs Brentford and Watford, are targeting the Nigeria international, 25, as he enters the final 18 months of his contract at Ibrox.
The newspaper also reported that the trio believe they may be able to prise Aribo away in either the January window or next summer, but Bridge does not see that happening next month.
He told GMS: “Yeah, I mean, that would surprise me if it happened anytime soon. But maybe next summer.”
Boost?
The reporter is only speculating, and while Daily Mail could still be correct, it just does not appear that Aribo will be leaving the Bears in January.
He played a key role under Steven Gerrard and has arguably been Rangers best player since Giovanni van Bronckhorst arrived.
The Gers struggled without him in the starting XI against Dundee United at the weekend (18 December), and they surely cannot afford to lose him soon.
Having booked their place in the knockout stages of the Europa League and with their title defence going well, cashing out on Aribo is the last thing they want to do.
They will need to hand him a new and improved deal having not done so since he joined them on a free from Charlton Athletic in the summer of 2019.
Daily Mail claimed that GvB is a huge fan of his attacking qualities and is keen to deploy him in a more advanced role to maximise them, and Rangers should be looking to hold on to him for as long as they can.
Players from down south often see them as a stepping stone to the next level, and whether they can convince the Nigerian to remain at Ibrox going forward remains to be seen.
In other Rangers news, The Athletic has shared if billionaire wants to buy the Bears after recent major development.