"Rangers should consider selling Aribo now" - Kenny Miller
Former Glasgow Rangers and Celtic striker Kenny Miller wants his former club Rangers to be proactive about Joe Aribo's expiring contract.
The Nigerian has a year left on his contract and is uninterested in extension talks, with his mind set on a move to the Premier League.
Aribo has been a revelation for the Gers since signing from Charlton Athletic for £300,000 in 2019. His value has since risen, with the Scottish Cup champions valuing him at £10 million at the moment.
They are reportedly holding on for an offer in that region with lots of interest coming from the Premier League for the Nigerian midfielder. Southampton, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Everton, Nottingham Forest have all been linked with a move for the player.
Miller believes that Rangers will be missing out on good business if they do not sort out his contract issues now or sell him to any of the interested clubs now that they can still make some money off his signature.
What has been said
Miller, who also played for Wolverhampton Wanderers in his days, believes that Rangers will be doing good business if they accept a bid of £8 million for Aribo.
“Joe is now at a good age,” Miller wrote in his column for the Daily Record. “If you profile him, he has everything a Premier League club would want. With a year left on his contract, teams won’t be stupid with potential bids. Rangers will have a valuation of what he’s worth and it’s about whether they can find that common ground with a buyer.
"Aribo, Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent are all going into their last year. They’re all starting players so you don’t want constant speculation. It can sidetrack the player and become a sideshow for the manager who gets asked about it every week. So I’d like to see Aribo’s situation resolved quickly. Either re-sign him on a new deal or if the board are willing to sell, let’s bring in the most money we can.
Time is key, Miller says
Miller also stressed on the importance of time for the deal in his column. “London probably makes sense for Joe because it’s where he grew up. He will have ambitions of playing in the Premier League," he continued.
"And of those three players at Rangers [Aribo, Morelos and Kent], you have to think at least one will move on. Joe only signed for around £300k. If Rangers can get around £8million for him it’s good business.
“That’s the model every club wants. You sign cheap – the same way Celtic did with Moussa Dembele – and sell big. Clubs need to balance the books and Rangers are no different. Right now, Aribo is still an asset. But if it gets to Christmas time and nothing’s happened, he’ll probably leave for nothing.
"It’s all about timing. If it’s right for the player and club, maybe now is a good time for him to go.”
Football Ant: The world's best football tipsters community.Get live scores, halftime and full time soccer results, goal scorers and assistants, cards, substitutions, match statistics, live stream and football predictions from Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1.