Joe Aribo delight at “dream” move

Joe Aribo says it is a dream come true to join Rangers ahead of the new Scottish Premiership season. The 22-year-old midfielder joins from Charlton Athletic, having been offered a new contract by the Championship side.

However, he opted to move north of the border and joins the Ibrox club on a four-year deal. He joins new boss Steven Gerrard and the rest of the Rangers squad at their pre-season camp in Portugal and told Rangers TV that he was delighted with the move.

He said: “I grew up watching them and I’m literally buzzing. I can’t wait to get going. “Because of the size of the club of course, but also the manager. I had a chat with him and he persuaded me.

“He said ‘this is the best place for you at the moment’ and I trusted him.” Aribo started his career at non-league Staines Town before joining Charlton in 2015. In four years at The Valley he played 97 times for the Addicks, playing 39 games last season scoring 10 goals.

“My aim last season was to get 10 goals and I achieved that, but I just want to be a goalscoring midfielder. I take pride and joy in scoring goals,” he added.

Rangers have four pre-season games in July, all at home against Oxford United, Marseille, Blackburn Rovers and Derby County. They also have a two-leg tie in the qualifying first round of the Europa League before starting the new Scottish Premiership season away to Kilmarnock on August 4.

Aribo is Gerrard’s seventh summer signing joining Jordan Jones, Jake Hastie, Greg Stewart, Steven Davis, Sheyi Ojo and George Edmundson at Ibrox.

Rangers are at 3.20 to win the Scottish Premiership next season with Celtic 1.33 to win the title for the ninth year in a row with Aberdeen 21.00.