“£6m fee was more of a shock”- Former Celtic midfielder believes Southampton should have paid more for Aribo

The Super Eagles midfielder was one of the best Gers in the past two seasons, and Southampton wasted no time in procuring his services

Former Celtic midfielder Simon Ferry believes that Super Eagles midfielder Joe Aribo could have commanded a higher fee than the £6 million that Rangers sold him to Southampton.

Aribo had a great two-year stay at Rangers, helping the club return to its lofty heights. The Super Eagles star played a major role in Rangers' flawless Premiership triumph two seasons ago. And last season, he played an integral part in the team, helping them to the Europa League final and a Scottish Cup triumph.

The 26-year-old drew attention with his scintillating performance in the middle of the park and great versatility. Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, and Southampton were all linked to Aribo, but he opted for a move to St. Mary's in a deal worth £6 million that could still rise to £10 million.

Ferry joined Celtic in 2006, but he never kicked a ball for them. The former Scotland Youth international believes the Gers should have demanded more before they let him go.

“Joe Aribo's £6m fee was more of a shock for me,” Ferry told the Scottish Sun.

“He can run box-to-box, he's strong, can tackle and also score and create goals.

“But maybe, because he wasn't as effective in the last three months of his Rangers career as he was in the first six months of the season, the price tag came down a little bit.

“Based on his quality alone I'd have been wanting a bit more than £6m but what Scottish clubs don't want is players running down their contracts and going for free so if there is a hint that Aribo is looking for a move away, it's so important that clubs do get a bit of money for them.”

Aribo had a forgettable start to life in the English Premier League, after Southampton's embarrassing 4-1 loss against Tottenham last Saturday.

However, the former Charlton man would look to pick the pieces and perform better when Southampton take on West Ham in their next fixture.