As Danny Rohl looks to strengthen his squad in the January transfer window, it could mean a return for a former Ibrox fan favourite.

Tuesday night’s comfortable 2-0 win over Aberdeen meant for the first time this season, Rangers have overtaken Celtic in the league and are now within touching distance of Hearts despite now playing a game extra than their Premiership title rivals. It was the midfield duo of Conor Barron and Nico Raskin that ran the show at Ibrox against The Dons, however Rohl appears still to be looking for more depth in this area of the park.

Former Rangers midfielder, Joe Aribo has blown hot and cold since signing for EFL Championship side, Southampton in 2022. The Nigerian is reportedly set for a move away from St Mary’s in the summer, meaning he could be set for an Ibrox return, however this is dependant on Saints manager, Tonda Eckert’s position, who appears to have a soft spot for the 29-year old.

‘We need to decide’ – Saints ponder Aribo’s future

Aribo could be headed for the exit door alongside former Ibrox-linked winger, Samuel Edozie and Saints defender, Ronnie Williams. However, the Southampton isn’t making any rash decisions on any of the trio’s future.

Eckert told the Daily Echo: “in the end, I think every player needs to be looked at individually. There is a story for every player that started way before I came in. For every single one, we need to decide on what is best for the club, which always comes first, and what is best for the player, the group, and come to a decision for all three.

“If they are fit, they are available to play. We don’t have situations where this player can play or this player can’t. If they are here and 100 per cent committed to playing for Southampton and we think they are the best option to play, they will play.”

Aribo struggling for minutes on south coast

Rangers supporters will have fond memories of Aribo, who scored the opener in their Europa League final match in 2021/22 against Eintracht Frankfurt and also helped them win their first league title in a decade the previous season.

Despite his fan favourite Ibrox status, the midfielder has struggled to perform consistently in a Southampton jersey. Under Will Still, he was largely left out of matchday squads and didn’t make a first team appearance until November what ended up being the previous boss’ last game before his dismissal.

Under Eckert, Aribo made his way back into the squad as their form improved following their new manager bounce. The Saints boss even stuck up for the Nigerian after a defeat against Millwall in late November, claiming he ‘happy’ with the performances of Aribo. However recently, he has lost his place in the team again, having not featured in their last six games.