Southampton midfielder Joe Aribo has insisted he made the right call to leave Rangers as he revisited his decision to swap the Champions League for the Premier League.
The 26-year-old made the switch to St Mary’s last summer with his Ibrox deal heading into the final 12 month, having been a key figure at Ibrox following his move north of the border in 2019. He made his mark under Steven Gerrard and Gio van Bronckhorst with his performances domestically, and was vital for the Dutchman on route to the Europa League final where Aribo netted in Seville.
However, he traded his shot at European football for a move to Ralph Hasenhüttl’s side south of the border. Nigerian international Aribo has watched as Rangers navigated the Champions League playoff rounds, but the Scottish Premiership side endured heavy defeats to Liverpool, Ajax and Napoli on route to the worst ever group stage performance.
Aribo admits he still dreams of playing among Europe’s elite, but has not regrets over leaving Ibrox this summer despite facing a relegation scrap this term after Southampton ‘s lacklustre start to the campaign. Speaking on the difference in standards between Scottish and English football to Saints club TV : “It’s one that I’m not surprised about.
“I know the Prem wasn’t going to be an easy task. Playing against teams, you could see the shift in quality in every single team.
“Every team has got quality. Some results haven’t been the best but we are still growing, we are still learning and I think as a team we are going to come through.
“It’s a dream for me to, of course, play Champions League, but I am also living my dream playing in the Premier League, so it’s either or. I couldn’t have both at the time, so I think for me it’s a very good decision.”
