Southampton FC have come off worse in £10m Rangers transfer deal: View | OneFootball

In the last couple of years, Southampton FC have made lots of changes to their playing squad, given that they have been in the Premier League and now the Championship.

The Saints brought in several new players during the summer transfer window, as it was important that the club replace the high-profile players who had left the club.

Southampton have had a few players who have been disappointing in recent times, with midfielder Joe Aribo fitting into that category, as he’s failed to live up to his billing in the two years at the club.

The Saints brought the midfielder to the club thinking he could replicate his form that saw him become a key player for Rangers, but so far it hasn’t worked out, and therefore, the Championship side have come off worse in the £10 million deal.

Southampton signed Joe Aribo for £10 million in 2022

Joe Aribo broke onto the scene with Charlton Athletic in 2015 after joining the club from non-league football.

The midfielder spent four years with the Addicks, but it was probably the 2018/19 season that he caught the eye of opposing teams.

That season, Charlton made it to the League One play-offs, and Aribo had an excellent campaign in doing so. He scored 10 goals and grabbed five assists, and that form saw him earn an impressive move to Scottish side Rangers.

Then manager Steven Gerrard decided to bring Aribo to Scotland, and it was a move that probably went under the radar but turned out well for the club.

Aribo was a consistent presence in that midfield, and he continued to be among the goals and assists for Rangers.

So, like he did with Charlton, Aribo’s form earned him his next move in his career, as he joined Southampton in a deal worth £10 million in the summer of 2022.

The Saints would have hoped he could continue with his form and be a force in their midfield in the Premier League, but that didn’t happen, and even in the Championship, Aribo has struggled to impose himself on this team.

Southampton have come off worse in Joe Aribo deal with Rangers

Southampton paying £10 million for a midfielder in the Premier League isn’t a lot given how much is spent on players these days.

But the Saints will still have been expecting the 27-year-old to make a positive impact on their team, and to this day, that has yet to really happen.

Last season, Joe Aribo played 28 times for the Saints, but the midfielder only started 16 of those games. But whether he started or came off the bench, Aribo only managed two goals in the entire season, making his first campaign at the club a disappointment.

The 2022/23 season was hugely disappointing for everyone involved at Southampton, but when the club brought players in like Aribo, the spotlight was put on them more, given they hadn’t contributed much to save their season.

Relegation from the Premier League meant several Southampton players were linked with the exit door, and Aribo was no different, as it was reported that Turkish side Besiktas were keen on signing the midfielder.

However, no move occurred, and he remained with the Saints for the whole of this Championship season.

Many would have thought Southampton being in the Championship would have meant players like Aribo could have shined more. But that hasn’t been the case for the midfielder, as he’s continued to struggle.

The former Rangers man has played 32 times in all competitions this season, with 30 coming in the second tier. But in the Championship, Aribo has appeared more off the bench than he has started, with only 12 games coming from the start so far.

Aribo started the season in the background, but in the last few weeks he has become more regular in the side, during which he has chipped in with some goals and assists.

The Southampton man has three goals, which is better than his xG, which is currently at 1.56, per Sofascore.com.

However, given how he did at Rangers, the Saints would be expecting more, as he’s averaging a goal every 427 minutes of football and a disappointing 0.1 per game.

Meanwhile, as a midfielder, he is expected to be key in the creative side of the game, but Aribo has also disappointed in that area this season. Aribo has grabbed just one assist, which means he is performing below his xA of 1.87, and he has also created one big chance for his teammates in the 30 games he’s appeared in, per Sofascore.com.

So, given how well Aribo did at Rangers and how much Southampton paid to secure his services, and the fact that he is believed to be on an estimated wage of £70,000, it is clear that the Saints have been the losers in this transfer, and the pair could potentially part ways this summer, no matter what happens between now and the end of the campaign.