Joe Aribo leaves Southampton after four years of highs, lows and no real fit at St Mary’s | OneFootball

Joe Aribo has left Southampton as a free agent at 29, ending a four-year spell of promotion, two relegations and few easy moments.

He arrived in 2022 with a Scottish Premiership title and a Europa League final on his CV, having scored in Seville before Rangers lost on penalties to Eintracht Frankfurt.

The 2023-24 campaign was his best at St Mary’s. He made 40 appearances and scored four as Russell Martin’s side won promotion.

The next season collapsed, Southampton taking just 12 points from 38 Premier League games and Aribo slipping to the fringes. "I'm a winner, and it's just a difficult time in my career for me," he said. The interview was with the Daily Echo.

His last season brought seven Championship outings and 111 minutes as he became an outcast under Will Still. At Millwall he turned away from a long-range strike that flew in, prompting a social-media backlash.

A loan to Leicester yielded one start and 130 minutes before the Foxes went down. In all he made 111 Saints appearances, with one promotion and two relegations.

He featured in 10 positions, including twice at centre-back in the Premier League. He finished low on confidence and out of form, his languid style reading as lazy and uninspired, and supporters were glad to see him go. Sometimes football just works out that way.

Source: Sainstmarching.com