Joe Aribo should have snubbed Rangers for Brentford, says Charlton's Lee Bowyer
Thursday 27 June 2019 13:53, UK
Charlton boss Lee Bowyer has criticised Joe Aribo’s decision to join Rangers, claiming a move to Brentford would have been better for him.
The 22-year-old midfielder completed his move to Ibrox on Thursday in a four-year deal, but Bowyer believes remaining in the Sky Bet Championship would have improved the player's long-term career prospects.
Bowyer did concede Aribo will benefit from working under Rangers boss Steven Gerrard, although he also claimed the player's agent did not even make Aribo aware of Brentford's interest in him.
"I believe Joe moving there is the wrong move for him and it's not in a disrespectful way. They are a massive club with great tradition and a great manager in Gerrard," Bowyer told talkSPORT.
"For me the only positive for Joe in going to Rangers would be working under Gerrard. Maybe that's the reason why he's gone there. He will make him a better player.
"But tell me how many players over the past few years that have gone to Rangers and then gone on to the Premier League. Joe should have stayed in England.
"Brentford came to us two days ago asking about Joe. They said they tried for him. Joe wasn't even aware Brentford were interested in him. His agent should have told him.
"Brentford makes players better and then sell them to the Premier League. Joe has done financially well out of Rangers but so has his agent.
"If Joe had stayed in England his agent wouldn't have been getting the deal from Brentford as he is getting at Rangers.
"The majority of players go to Scotland at the end of their careers. For his career, moving to Brentford would be a stepping stone."
