Southampton midfielder Joe Aribo has candidly acknowledged the impact of the Saints' relegation on his aspirations.
The Nigeria international joined the English club in 2022 for £10 million after scoring in the Europa League final with Rangers, but unfortunately for Aribo, Southampton were relegated to the Championship in his first season.
While the team have since been promoted back to the Premier League, Aribo admits that the challenging season left him with a more humble outlook, suggesting that his ambitions have been tempered by the harsh lessons learned in the wake of the club's relegation.
Aribo reflects on ambitions and challenges after relegation
In a recent interview with Daily Echo, Aribo acknowledged the impact of relegation on his aspirations.
“I want to mark my stamp as a Premier League footballer, that’s a dream of mine,” said Aribo, reflecting on his current ambitions.
“I just want to be acknowledged or be known as a very good player really, nothing too crazy, but I know what I am capable of.
“I know what abilities I have and my purpose I believe is to showcase them for the world to see,” he added.
“The relegation was a difficult season for me and I had my ups and downs when I wasn’t playing, but you have to learn from it.
“Nobody’s career is going to keep soaring upwards and you have to go through a phase of being humble, and I think that’s what it does.
“It realigns your goals and where you want to get to. Disappointment is a part of life and it took a long season to get here.”
As a key player in Russell Martin's setup, Aribo has made eight appearances across all competitions in the current campaign, starting in six of those matches. He has averaged 69 minutes per game and has one goal to his credit.
