Alan Hutton warns Rangers that other clubs might poach Joe Aribo if the Scottish Champions do not offer the Super Eagles midfielder a new deal soon
Former Rangers defender Alan Hutton has called on the Scottish champions to offer Joe Aribo a new contract as soon as possible and tie him to the club.
Hutton believes that the uncertainty surrounding the midfielder’s contract situation and his future could negatively impact his delivery on the pitch.
Aribo’s contract at Rangers runs out in June 2023 with the Super Eagles midfielder having not entered renewal talks with the Glasgow-based club side.
While speaking with Football Insider, Hutton warned Rangers that other clubs would be sniffing around Aribo as he is one of the more impressive members of the squad.
The Rangers TV pundit thus called on the club to sort out Aribo’s contract situation as soon as possible so the Nigerian midfielder can focus on his football.
Hutton said: “There will be other teams looking. He’s one of those players that, within the squad, other teams will be looking at.
“So he will want his future tied up. Then he can concentrate on what he does best and that’s playing football.”
Hutton buttressed that the uncertainty concerning Aribo’s future would affect the Super Eagles player no matter how much he denies it.
“Of course. If any footballer says that it doesn’t, then they’re just lying,” Hutton explained.
“Of course, they’d think about it, it’s normal, it’s natural. If you only have a year left, you want that security so you can just totally concentrate on your football.”
The former Gers defender hoped that both the player and the club would sit at the end of the season to discuss modalities for a renewal with less than a year left on the contract as at then.
Hutton continued: “You would like to think at the end of this season, there’ll be conversations had. There is no doubting his ability knees, he’s a top-class footballer who’s only going to get better.
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“Yes, I think he’s looking a little bit not himself at this moment in time. That’s probably due to the amount he’s played.”
Aribo has played 47 times in all competitions for Rangers this season and 138 times in total since he joined on a free transfer from Charlton Athletic in 2019.
The Super Eagles midfielder was in action for Rangers last weekend in the Old Firm Derby against Celtic but could not help his side from falling to a 2-1 defeat at home.
