Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst has thrown his weight behind Joe Aribo’s desire to play in the English Premier League.
Aribo is on the verge of departing Rangers whom he joined from Charlton Athletic in 2019.
The Super Eagles star is close to joining Premier League side Southampton.
And Van Bronckhorst hailed the 25-year-old’s ‘fantastic’ contribution to the Ibrox side as he gets set for a new adventure in the Premier League.
“Of course I talked with Joe about his future last season,” manager Van Bronckhorst told Sky Sports from Rangers’ pre-season base in Portugal.
“But he has been playing for three years for Rangers and it’s the natural way for players careers.
“Of course Joe wants to develop himself further and see where his level is.
“Playing in the Premier League, there won’t come any stronger leagues than that in the world.
“Joe was a very important player for us. He has been really good for this club for the last years.
“His development was really good but, at the moment, he has the ambition to play in the Premier League.
“So that’s his ambition and that is probably what is going to happen in the near future.
“It’s what you want as a club, to get talented players into the club and develop them as really good players.
“And eventually the player has their own ambitions. But I think what he has done for this club has been fantastic.”