Former Rangers midfielder Joe Aribo has been handed a lifeline after Nathan Jones was sacked as Southampton boss after only three months.
Ex-Ibrox midfielder Aribo, 26, joined the Saints in the summer in a reported £10m after three years at Rangers following a cross-border pre-contract switch from Charlton in 2019.
Entering the final year of his contract, it appeared to be a solid deal for all parties with Joe Aribo signing for a Premier League club in Southampton and Rangers recouping a decent fee for a player in the final year of his contract.
But since the switch Joe Aribo has experienced an up-and-down stint on the English south coast with Nathan Jones not the manager the ex-Rangers star signed for at Southampton.
Ex-Luton boss Jones was called in when Ralph Hassenhuttl was sacked but has only lasted 95 days himself with Southampton rooted firmly to the foot of the Premier League.
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Joe Aribo boost as Southampton sack Nathan Jones
The weekend’s 2-1 St Mary’s defeat to 10-man Wolves was the final straw, the club now four points adrift from safety with 16 games remaining, and Nathan Jones has now been sacked as Southampton boss.
This could be good news for Joe Aribo because under Jones the midfielder found his Southampton time limited, with the manager previously claiming competition was keeping him out of the side.
In fact, of the 14 matches Nathan Jones took charge of for Southampton – of which nine were losses – Joe Aribo started three times, with two of those victories over Crystal Palace and Blackpool in the FA Cup.
A new manager could breathe fresh life into Joe Aribo at Southampton with Jesse Marsch reportedly the frontrunner to replace Nathan Jones.
The attacking midfielder was a key player for Rangers and Ibrox fans know all too well what the Nigerian international can offer, with Aribo scoring the Gers’ goal in last season’s Europa League Final.
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