There were high hopes for Joe Aribo following a summer switch to Southampton, but as things stand the player finds himself bombed out of the club’s squad.
The Nigerian international midfielder, 26, was amongst the most highly-rated players in the Rangers team but moved on with a year left on his contract after scoring in the Europa League Final defeat to Frankfurt.
Southampton will reportedly pay up to £10m for Joe Aribo, but after a bright start to the season the midfielder is now out of the team and the Saints out of luck in the English top flight.
The St Mary’s club are staring down the very real threat of relegation and despite a 3-3 draw with Tottenham at the weekend find themselves bottom of the Premier League table.
Joe Aribo bombed out by Southampton
Signed by Ralph Hasenhuttl, Joe Aribo struggled to get into the team under Welsh coach Nathan Jones, who had explained this was due to competition in the midfield positions.
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But that has continued into the reign of Southampton’s third manager this season, with Joe Aribo yet to play under Ruben Selles as the Spaniard desperately tries to salvage their season.
In fact, Aribo’s only performance since Selles’ appointment in late February came in the shock FA Cup defeat to Grimsby, where the player got 23 minutes from the bench.
Things have gotten so frustrating for Joe Aribo at Southampton that the player hasn’t even been in a matchday squad since the 2-1 defeat to Wolves in mid February, where the ex-Charlton star got just over 10 minutes.
That means it’s been six Premier League games where Joe Aribo has been absent but the situation has done little to arrest Southampton’s form.
Two wins, two draws and two defeats hasn’t been enough to get them out of the relegation zone and the club is looking at the very real prospect of a stint in the Championship.
The Saints are two points off Leicester City in 17th, but the club has played one more game than the Foxes.