SOUTHAMPTON will have to meet a £10million asking price if they are to finalise a deal for Rangers midfielder Joe Aribo this summer.
The Saints are one of a number of Premier League clubs who have been tracking Aribo, who joined from Charlton Athletic in 2019, as he enters the final year of his contract at Ibrox.
That deal includes an eight-figure release clause and talks between the clubs are ongoing as boss Ralf Hassenhuttl looks to land the Nigerian internationalist ahead of the new campaign.
Aribo has yet to join up with Giovanni van Bronckhorst's squad at their pre-season base in Portugal and could now be heading straight for St Mary's as he edges closer to a return to England.
The 25-year-old scored in the Europa League final defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt and collected his second medal as Rangers beat Hearts in the Scottish Cup at Hampden.
Now he is poised to earn a dream switch to the Premier League as Southampton aim to fend off competition to land one of Van Bronckhorst's prized assets sooner rather than later.
The Dutchman has only added John Souttar to his squad so far this summer but a deal to sign striker Antonio Colak from PAOK is nearing completion and the sale of Aribo will release further funds as Rangers bid to strengthen ahead of the new Premiership campaign and their crack at the Champions League this term.
