Aston Villa appointing Steven Gerrard as their new manager could lead to a number of Rangers players following him from the Ibrox stadium. Gerrard’s already brought members of his Rangers backroom staff to Villa, so it’s not too farfetched to predict a first-teamer also making the switch.
Glen Kamara has already been linked with a move to Villa and Ryan Kent has also been tipped to join the Midlands outfit, but Frank McAvennie believes Joe Aribo should be on Villa’s radar. He says the 25-year-old is a “talent” who’d provide a necessary creative “spark” in midfield.
McAvennie told Football Insider: “Joe Aribo stands out to me. He’s young enough and has the talent to go down there and do well. £10million is it for him? That’s a good deal.
“Aribo could add that spark to the Villa midfield. They have a lot of quality players but they are struggling to create. I would imagine Aribo will be a relatively cheap signing Gerrard could get over the line.”
The Nigerian international joined Rangers from Charlton Athletic in 2019 and has gone on to make 113 appearances in all competitions, scoring 20 goals with 18 assists. Aribo has started all but one of their 23 games across the board this season, so he’s one of the first names on the teamsheet.
Aribo has contributed five goals in 13 Scottish Premiership games in 2021/22, so he would improve Villa’s options. The likes of Emiliano Buendia and Leon Bailey were brought in to provide goals but have struggled for consistency, so maybe a new face in January could be a solution?
In other news, Robbie Fowler gives his honest thoughts about Aston Villa appointing Gerrard
