Super Eagles and Southampton midfielder Joe Ayodele-Aribo could be on his way back to Rangers before the January transfer window closes, reports indicate. The 29-year-old has struggled for regular game time this season following Southampton’s relegation to the Championship and a change in the club’s coaching setup, gathered from sources close to the situation.
Aribo featured prominently for the Saints last season, playing 32 of their 38 Premier League matches and scoring three goals. However, his role has significantly diminished this campaign, with the Nigerian midfielder managing just 111 minutes across seven Championship appearances, none of them starts.
The London-born midfielder was linked with a return to Rangers during the summer window, but no formal approach materialised. Aribo previously spent three successful years at Ibrox, where he won the Scottish Premiership before joining Southampton in 2022. The 34-cap Nigeria international is now keen on reviving his career, especially with his contract at St Mary’s set to expire in the summer.
Aribo endured a difficult period under former Southampton boss Will Still, who dropped him from the squad, before he eventually returned to action in November under interim coach Tonda Eckert. However, Eckert has played down the likelihood of a January move back to Scotland.
“In general, I was very happy with the players we had available for matchdays, and that's where the situation is at the moment,” Eckert said, as quoted by the Daily Record. “The transfer window goes for another two weeks. Then we see what happens and, in general, I think the squad needs to become a bit lighter.”
Aside from Rangers, Turkish clubs Göztepe and Trabzonspor are also reportedly monitoring Aribo’s situation, but the midfielder is understood to favour a return to Scotland if a move becomes possible.