Former Celtic midfielder Simon Ferry believes that Super Eagles midfielder Joe Aribo should have moved for a fee higher than the £6 million Rangers received in order to sell him to Southampton.
Aribo was excellent in the two years he spent at Rangers, helping the club achieve some its biggest feats in recent years. The Super Eagles star was a mainstay in Rangers’ flawless Premiership triumph two seasons ago, and was able to lead the team to the Europa League final and a Scottish Cup triumph.
His performances did not go unnoticed by clubs outside of Scotland as the likes of Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, and Southampton all came calling. The 26-year-old, who had in previous seasons excelled in midfield, played in multiple positions last season thereby showcasing his versatility.
Aribo, who revealed in his unveiling then that it's been a dream to play in Premier League, settled for the South Coast club in a deal worth £6 million that could still rise to £10 million.
Ferry joined Celtic in 2006, but he never kicked a ball for them. The former Scotland Youth international believes the Gers should have demanded more before they let him go.
“Joe Aribo’s £6m fee was more of a shock for me,” Ferry told the Scottish Sun.
“He can run box-to-box, he’s strong, can tackle and also score and create goals.
“But maybe, because he wasn’t as effective in the last three months of his Rangers career as he was in the first six months of the season, the price tag came down a little bit.
“Based on his quality alone I’d have been wanting a bit more than £6m but what Scottish clubs don’t want is players running down their contracts and going for free so if there is a hint that Aribo is looking for a move away, it’s so important that clubs do get a bit of money for them.”
Mixed start to life in Southampton
Aribo announced his arrival to Southampton fans with a wonderful solo goal against Villareal at the St Mary’s some weeks ago. He was deployed in attack by manager Ralph Hasenhüttl and did not disappoint as he left his markers for dead before finishing superbly.
Fast forward to Saturday in his Premier League debut against Tottenham last Saturday, Aribo enjoyed a torrid evening as the Saints suffered an embarrassing 4-1 loss in London.
However, the former Charlton man would hope to pick the pieces and deliver the goods when Southampton take on West Ham in their next fixture.
This article was most recently revised and updated 1 year ago
