The Rangers manager, Steven Gerrard, is expected to make the midfielder his seventh summer recruit at Ibrox.
Rangers fans are reacting after the manager of one prospective Ibrox recruit claimed his player would be making a mistake joining Steven Gerrard’s side.
Rangers are expected to confirm Joe Aribo’s arrival as their seventh summer signing shortly.
By doing so, the Gers will have successfully fought off competition from clubs north and south of the border, including their Glasgow rivals, Celtic.
And had Aribo’s Charlton Athletic boss, Lee Bowyer, had his way, the midfielder would have remained in England.
That would have ensured Charlton receive the maximum compensation possible, with Rangers only likely to pay around £300,000.
But speaking to the South London Press, Bowyer claimed there are football reasons, too, why Aribo should have rejected the Gers.
“It’s a shame if he gets pushed to somewhere where it is not going to benefit him in his football career,” said the former England midfielder. “If he goes to Rangers that is not the right place for him to go for his football career.
“You have got Rangers and Celtic who are massive clubs, I get that. And I get that Steven Gerrard was a great player, so that’s an attraction. Those two things are the attraction – but not everything else.
“It doesn’t make sense on the football side. When people from England go and play for Celtic and Rangers it is at the end of their careers. That’s because it is very rare you get a move from Rangers to the Premier League, and I don’t mean any disrespect by that.
“They might go from Rangers to the Championship, very rarely is it to the Premier League. For me he should stay in England and keep progressing. The move should benefit Joe.”
And it goes without saying that those of a Rangers persuasion do not agree.
This is what they’re saying on Twitter…
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
