SAINTS have "emerged as frontrunners" in the race to sign Rangers midfielder Joe Aribo, according to the Daily Record.

It is not the first time Saints have been linked with the Nigeria international, with fellow Premier League clubs Crystal Palace, Fulham and Nottingham Forest also reportedly interested.

Aribo, 25, is heading into the final year of his contract at Rangers, giving the Ibrox club a decision to make.

Since arriving from Charlton Athletic in 2019 for a reported compensation fee of around £300,000, Aribo has developed into a key player for Rangers.

He scored nine goals from a staggering 57 appearances last season, also providing 10 assists. One of Aribo's goals came in the Europa League final, where the Scottish Premiership outfit eventually lost to Eintracht Frankfurt on penalties.

London-born Aribo started in non-league with Staines Town before his big break with Charlton. He was also part of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria and has made a total of 148 appearances for Rangers.

A fee of £10million has been mooted as being enough for the Gers to consider selling this summer.

During his time north of the border, Aribo has won both the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup.

A message from the Editor

Thank you for reading this article - we appreciate your support in reading the Daily Echo.

Subscribing to the Echo means you have unrestricted access to the latest news, features and Saints coverage - all with an advertising-light website.

You will also have full access to Saintsplus, your new home for Southampton FC tactical analysis, features and much, much more.

Don't take my word for it - subscribe here to see for yourself.

Follow the latest breaking news in the Southampton area by joining our Facebook group - Southampton News - Breaking News and Incidents

Follow the latest court and crime news on our dedicated Facebook group - Hampshire Court and Crime News