Rangers return for Joe Aribo could be completed thanks to transfer clauses after Southampton misery
Joe Aribo returning to Rangers after a miserable season at Southampton may be affordable thanks to the manner of his sale a year ago.
After scoring in the Europa League final in Seville the Gers man left for the Premier League in a deal starting at £6million, but has barely been seen on the pitch since the turn of 2023 and has now been relegated with the English side.
John Hartson assessed the prospect of the midfielder making a return to Ibrox on Go Radio on Tuesday (16 May), admitting he would take him back “in a heartbeat” if he was in charge, while making clear it would be impossible for anywhere near the £10million maximum fee he left for.
David Ornstein reported for The Athletic at the time (6 July) that the Gers were “determined” not to accept a package that didn’t total the Nigerian international’s release clause of that amount, but the chances that he has ended up costing that seem remote.
The £6million up-front fee is a given but the add-ons that would have taken it into eight figures seem unlikely to have been met given Aribo’s personal struggles at St. Mary’s and the Saints’ as a whole.
After three separate managers this season their relegation from the Premier League was confirmed with defeat at Fulham on Sunday (14 May).
Additionally, The Sun reported last summer that the Light Blues were set for a “huge” sell-on clause in the deal, which would have netted them extra profit if the 26-year-old moved elsewhere but would function as giving them a discount if he came back to Glasgow.
It may be that after adding Todd Cantwell and Nico Raskin to his midfield in January, securing a deal for Kieran Dowell already this summer, and imminently expecting to add Jose Cifuentes to that group Michael Beale doesn’t have need for Aribo.
But with the £5million-plus deal to make Malik Tillman’s stay at Ibrox permanent thought to be unlikely he is going to have a fairly significant chunk of production in the attacking midfield area that needs replacing, and he could do worse than turning to the man whose own output the American replaced.
After the 55th title win, the Scottish Cup, and the run to Seville, in comparison to a relative annus horribilis for both Aribo and Rangers, a reunion may be attractive on both sides.
Southampton apparently have little need for last summer’s arrival, having given him just three brief league outings this year, and relegation will see them need to move people on.
They wouldn’t be able to expect to get a top return on investment in a buyer’s market like that, and having had such an unsuccessful season where Aribo only made 27 appearances in all competitions that investment surely won’t have gone far past the initial outlay.
If the sell-on clause is as “huge” as suggested it could knock another chunk off the price to the Light Blues and bring him into their price-range, with those factors feasibly saving millions on what he was sold for.
The saying often goes to never go back, but in certain circumstances it might be the best option for everybody.
In other Rangers news, factors are “pushing him out the door” when it comes to one reliable Ibrox ace.