CHARLTON boss Lee Bowyer has slammed Joe Aribo’s move to Rangers.

The out-of-contract midfielder is on the verge of becoming Gers boss Steven Gerrard’s SEVENTH summer signing.

2 Aribo is set to join Rangers Credit: PA:Empics Sport

But ex-Leeds star Bowyer reckons the 22-year-old will be making a massive mistake if he rejects English clubs to head to the Scottish Premiership.

Cross-border transfer rules mean the Light Blues are set to pay just £300,000 for the former Arsenal, Celtic and Southampton target.

Bowyer told London News Online: “I worked so hard to get him to this situation he is in now.

“It is about progression for him.

“So it’s a shame if he gets pushed to somewhere where it is not going to benefit him in his football career.

“If he goes to Rangers that is not the right place for him to go for his football career.

“You have got Rangers and Celtic who are massive clubs, I get that.

“And I get that Steven Gerrard was a great player, so that’s an attraction. Those two things are the attraction – but not everything else.

2 Bowyer has hit out at his decision to leave Charlton Credit: PA:Press Association

“It doesn’t make sense on the football side.

“When people from England go and play for Celtic and Rangers it is at the end of their careers.

“That’s because it is very rare you get a move from Rangers to the Premier League, and I don’t mean any disrespect by that.

“They might go from Rangers to the Championship, very rarely is it to the Premier League.

“For me he should stay in England and keep progressing. The move should benefit Joe.

“For us to be able to compete financially with Rangers or any other team really, it is not possible, unfortunately.

“It’s a completely different league to what we’re offering. I met and had a chat with Joe on Friday.

“I told him that if he was going to go, at least stay in England – because that is where the best football is.

"If you have got the opportunity to go and play Premier League football, then at least you are going to the best place.”