Glasgow Rangers are on a spectacular run right now which has seen them recently return to the summit of the Premiership table for the first time since August 2022.
While the players have been excellent, Philippe Clement is the catalyst behind such an impressive few months. The Belgian arrived last October with the Ibrox side engulfed in a crisis, but fast-forward five months, and he has the club in a title race, secured his first trophy while even setting up a Europa League last 16 clash against Benfica.
There will be bumps in the road, no doubt about it, but the transformation has shown that the club are ready to fight for every trophy.
One key element that the 49-year-old will be keen to develop at Ibrox is the establishment of a successful player trading model.
Previously, the Gers have paid money for players, only for their value to decrease or for them to run down their contracts and leave for free.
Over the previous decade, only three players have generated the club a major profit: Nathan Patterson, Calvin Bassey and Joe Aribo.
The former two are performing well for their new clubs, yet Aribo has largely struggled since leaving Glasgow, indicating that perhaps selling him in 2022 was the correct thing to do.
How much Rangers signed Joe Aribo for
Following an underwhelming debut season in charge of Rangers, Steven Gerrard sought to bolster his side prior to the 2019/20 campaign.
The likes of Ryan Kent, Filip Helander and Greg Stewart joined the Light Blues, but it was the signing of Aribo which looked the most exciting.
Player
Club signed from
Ryan Kent
Liverpool
Filip Helander
Bologna
George Edmundson
Oldham
Joe Aribo
Charlton
Greg Stewart
Birmingham
Steven Davis
Southampton
Jake Hastie
Motherwell
Jordan Jones
Kilmarnock
Sheyi Ojo
Liverpool
Brandon Barker
Manchester City
The attacking midfielder had shone for Charlton Athletic in the season prior, scoring ten times and grabbing five assists as he helped the side secure promotion back to the Championship.
He signed for the club on a four-year contract, costing the Gers just £300k because of cross-border transfer rules and Gerrard hailed his new arrival.
"We have a good midfield but currently we don’t have a player with Joe’s characteristics.
“He is tall, athletic and quick. He’s a box-to-box player and is not afraid to open the door when he gets around the box and he can unlock defences.”
High praise indeed for the youngster, and he was clearly ready to turn heads during his spell in Scotland, as it was evident Aribo was destined for bigger things in the future.
Joe Aribo’s statistics at Rangers
Aribo started off encouragingly at Rangers, scoring nine goals and chipping in with eight assists, although the club failed to lift any silverware during a season which was halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
It was the 2020/21 campaign in which the former Charlton midfielder began to really showcase his talents, however, as the Light Blues steamrolled all opposition as they won their first title for a decade.
The Nigerian international registered 15 goal contributions – eight goals and seven assists – in all competitions and ranked sixth among his teammates for goals and assists (11) in the top flight, along with ranking fourth for big chances created (seven), fourth for key passes per game (1.2) and first for successful dribbles per game (1.9), displaying his full repertoire of skills during the season.
Aribo was fast becoming a crowd favourite at Ibrox due to his mesmerising displays and the 2021/22 season would be his most productive yet.
Nine goals were scored in all competitions, but it was his effort in the Europa League final against Eintracht Frankfurt which will be remembered most fondly, despite the club losing the game on penalties.
Aribo became just the fourth Rangers player to score in a major European final and the first since Willie Johnston in the 1972 Cup Winners' Cup final.
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He won a Scottish Cup winners medal a few days later, but Giovanni van Bronckhorst accepted an offer of £6m from Premier League side Southampton for the midfielder during the 2022 summer transfer window.
It marked the end of a successful three-year stint north of the border and while the Gers did not want to lose a player of his quality, the offer was clearly too good to turn down.
Safe to say, the 27-year-old has not enjoyed the most fruitful of spells at Southampton since joining nearly two years ago.
How Joe Aribo is doing at Southampton
There was no doubting Aribo’s Premier League credentials, as his spell at Rangers, especially with his displays in Europe, proved he could cut it in the English top flight.
He only started 13 league matches last season, however, scoring just two goals and his talents were wasted as the Saints suffered their first relegation from the top flight since 2005.
Despite their relegation to the second tier, Aribo has failed to secure a consistent run in the starting XI, making just eight starts in the Championship all season.
The former Gers star has netted just three times, and it looks as though his move down south has turned south, even if the Saints may secure promotion at the first time of asking.
Aribo currently ranks in a lowly 18th position among the squad for key passes per game (0.5) in the Championship, while also ranking 13th for successful dribbles per game (0.6) and these numbers are a fry cry for his displays at Rangers, especially in the season they won the league.
His recent struggles suggest the Light Blues made the correct call, cashing in on the player, even if it meant weakening the side, as he clearly wanted a dream move to the Premier League.
Scoring just five goals in 18 months since departing Scotland is not the form the Saints, or even Aribo himself anticipated, and he needs to work hard to earn more minutes between now and May.
Clement must know the right time to sell some of his prized assets, as the money generated could allow him to sign even more talented youngsters, who will then make the club a big profit.
It may well be the circle of life, but this model could help the Gers reestablish themselves as the best club in Scotland.