Charlton’s Joe Aribo is ‘days away’ from signing for Rangers according to reports.

The 22-year-old is out of contract at The Valley at the end of the month and despite new terms being on the table, the Scottish giants seemingly look to have won the race for his signature.

The Daily Record revealed the midfielder was close to putting pen to paper on a four-year, £4million deal with Steven Gerrard’s side which would dwarf what Charlton can offer.

As Charlton head in to the Championship, manager Lee Bowyer maintained his belief that SE7 was the right environment for Aribo to kick-on after his breakout 2018/19 season where he scored a personal record of 10-goals in 39 appearances, but knows they can’t compete financially with the offers proposed.

A host of clubs have been interested in the Academy product including Arsenal, Tottenham and Celtic, but the Ibrox outfit look to have stolen a march on their city rivals as they look to make Aribo their sixth summer signing.

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'It's a step up'

One man who is not convinced that Ranger’s philosophy of buying ‘prospect’ players to catapult Gerrard’s men to the title, is former Scotland and Everton captain, David Weir.

“People underestimate Scottish football and look at some of the games and say maybe the quality isn’t there,” Weir told the Daily Record.

“But the intensity, the physicality of the game up here is really difficult and a lot of players have come here and really struggled.

“I have watched a lot of English football at League One, Championship, Premier League and League Two and Scottish football rates, I don’t care what anyone says, in terms of being a difficult league.

“You can see from the profile of the players the ones they are going for. They are younger, more up and coming and there is value in them.

“But the ones that are going to change their team are the ones they really need. They need ones to make them significantly better because they have got a good solid base.

“It’s a massive step up to Rangers, there is no doubt about that.”

Bowyer would be reluctant to see Aribo leave with an already threadbare squad, especially to a side north of the border as a compensation package would be far less than that if he moved to an English club.

Charlton have added to their ranks however, by completing a deal to bring Leyton Orient forward Macauley Bonne to The Valley for £200,000.

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