Joe Aribo makes transfer decision as Russell Martin holds 'trust' card amid Rangers return clamour
Southampton playmaker Joe Aribo has reportedly told the club he wants to leave this summer.
And Russell Martin's arrival at Rangers has left fans dreaming of a return to the Scottish Premiership for the Nigerian international.
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Aribo is facing the prospect of playing Championship football next term after the Saints finished rock bottom of the Premier League - leading to his second relegation since leaving Ibrox behind in 2022.
READ MORE: Robin Propper Rangers transfer exit 'agreed' with Dutch defender set for quickfire Eredivisie return
READ MORE: Russell Martin's admission jolts Rangers transfer plan as Vardy, Darling, Ramazani and Metinho hit the fast track
The 28-year-old has remained a fan favourite with the Light Blues' faithful having wrote his name in Rangers history by netting in the Europa League Final defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt.
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And it appears that a move away from St Mary's is on the cards after struggling for regular game time following Martin's sacking in the midst of a dismal English top flight campaign last term.
Following the departure of the now-Gers' boss Martin, Aribo would manage just 10 appearances under Ivan Juric and Simon Rusk - barely making the matchday squad in the later stages of the campaign.
The Daily Mail reported following the end of the campaign that the playmaker had made it clear to the club that he "wanted" an exit after dropping out of the top flight with just a year remaining on his contract.
Joe Aribo scored in the Europa League Final -Credit:Getty Images
And Turkish outlet Fotomac now claim that the player has told his agent to find him a new club with Trabzonspor "asking" about the potential of a deal.
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And that could alert Martin as he looks to overhaul the squad this summer - who has made no secret of his admiration for Aribo.
Speaking during their promotion-winning Championship campaign on midfielder, he said: "He's been a brilliant teammate, an amazing character as you know. He's humble, works hard, smiling.
"I've not seen many players or teammates that are as popular as him, even when you're not playing, which is like the biggest credit to him, really."
He has also noted how he fits his footballing philosophy perfectly, stating during his time with the Southampton: 'You trust him to go and put a certain level of performance on the pitch and to want the ball, to run for his teammates.
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"He's a brilliant teammate and I think he's someone that you trust.'
A return would test Aribo's career mantra - having previously insisted he likes to take himself out of his "comfort zone".
After his move away from Glasgow, he said: "I think for me, what's so important is the timing of everything.
"I had some offers down south but I chose to go away from home, come out of my comfort zone - which is so important for your own growth personally.
"So for me, life is about little steps to get to your goal and that's why I made the choice to go up there. And then why I came back to Southampton."
A move back to Ibrox and a Russell Martin reunion could prove tempting - but could Aribo look to test himself elsewhere first?
Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport's newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks.
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