Southampton’s head coach, Russell Martin, openly expressed how much the club missed the presence of Joe Aribo during his absence on international duty with Nigeria. After spending approximately one month at the Africa Cup of Nations, Aribo rejoined the Saints last week.
The midfielder, who played a crucial role in Nigeria’s journey to second place in the competition, made a significant impact on his return. He came off the bench to score in Southampton’s 2-1 home defeat to Hull City on Tuesday night, demonstrating his immediate contribution upon his return.
Speaking to Daily Echo via Southampton FC news, Martin said, “Amazing. We have missed him so much, and he showed that the other night. I think he is ready to start games now, although he has been away for a while. He is a huge player for us, and you can see why he wore the armband for us.”
