Nigerian international Aribo is expected to cost £6 million plus add-ons, and Manchester City midfielder Lavia is close to joining.

Published: 07 June 2022

As they were ready to announce the £12 million purchase of Roméo Lavia from Manchester City, Southampton is close to an agreement to capture Joe Aribo from Rangers for £6 million plus add-ons.

Nigerian international Aribo formerly played for Charlton in League One before joining Rangers in 2019. Last season, the 25-year-old played in all 15 of Rangers’ Europa League games, starting 13, and scoring in the championship game against Eintracht Frankfurt.

He can play a range of positions in midfield and attack and started that game as a centre striker.

The 18-year-old Lavia, a Belgium youth international, has made two appearances for City, starting in a 6-1 Carabao Cup triumph over Wycombe and making a brief FA Cup substitute appearance against Swindon. The defensive midfielder passed his medical exam on Tuesday, and City has a roughly £40 million buyback clause.

Joe Shields, who spent nine years at City and most recently served as head of academy recruitment, is getting ready to move on to Southampton at the same time as these changes. Gavin Bazunu, Mateusz Lis, and Armel Bella-Kotchap, a defender from Bochum, were all acquired by Southampton for a combined £12 million from City.