Southampton has completed the signing of Nigeria forward Joe Aribo from Rangers on a four-year deal, for a fee reported to be about £6m, rising to £10m with add-ons.
The 25-year-old Nigeria international moves to Southampton after spending three successful seasons with Rangers, where he made 149 appearances, scored 26 goals and won the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup.
Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl in his words: “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.
“He has played a lot of games already in his career, at a very high level, and his performances in the Europa League prove he has the quality to play in the Premier League. This is a big ambition for him, and he is hungry to show everybody he can do it.”
In an official statement with his new club, Aribo says: “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.
“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.”
Before the official announcement from Southampton, Aribo took to his Twitter handle to appreciate his formal club.
He wrote: “It has been an amazing journey being part of this special club, I hold Rangers very close to my heart as they gave me the opportunity to showcase my talent on a bigger stage. Playing at Ibrox was a dream and I am glad I got to experience it.
“I’m happy I was able to play a part in the historic 55 league title-winning season. I’d like to thank everyone associated with this great club for all you’ve done for me during my time here, you’ve always made me feel welcome and I’ve always had your full support.
“I’ve developed into an even better player, credit to the supporters who always had my back and stayed patient during the tough times. We created a lot of memories together, memories that I will carry with me throughout the rest of my career.
“I wish the club nothing but the best for the future and I’ll always be checking in. Joe Aribo.”
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