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Benitez confirms Rolando Aarons won’t play for Newcastle tonight ahead of exit

Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez looks on during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Chelsea FC at St. James Park on Augus...
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Rangers have been linked with a move to bring Rolando Aarons to Ibrox.

Rolando Aarons of Newcastle United in action during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Newcastle at Stamford Bridge on February 13, 2016 in London, England.

Newcastle United boss Rafael Benitez has told The Chronicle that winger Rolando Aarons will not be in the squad for tonight’s game against Nottingham Forest.

The Magpies are in Carabao Cup action just days after losing 2-1 at home to Chelsea in the Premier League, and taking on Championship opposition gives Benitez a chance to rotate his side.

New signing Yoshinori Muto should feature from the start tonight, whilst the likes of Jamie Sterry and Sean Longstaff may hope to play as well, with fringe players looking for an opportunity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPVZZ0N8TGo

Winger Rolando Aarons would have also come under that particular bracket, but manager Benitez has confirmed to The Chronicle that he won’t be involved as he nears a move away from the club.

“We have two or three teams interested in him,” said Benitez. “He will not be in the squad for Forest because I have to decide if he goes on loan. Clearly it will be good for him. He’s not playing and he hasn’t played in the last year too much either.”

“He has the potential to be a good player so he must play. The reason he’s not in the squad for Forest is because I have to give chances to the players that will stay here,” he added.

Rolando Aarons of Newcastle United celebrates scoring their second goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Newcastle United and Crystal Palace at St James' Park on August 30,...

Aarons, 22, burst onto the scene with Newcastle in 2014, but has only played 27 times for Newcastle, and spent the second half of last season on loan with Hellas Verona in a move which didn’t really pay dividends.

Another move appears to be on the cards, and earlier this week, The Mirror reported that Rangers were battling AEK Athens and Hull City for his signature, so Benitez’s comments may well be of interest to Steven Gerrard.

Yet with Osijek winger Eros Grezda on the verge of a move to Ibrox, it seems unlikely that Gerrard will be signing another wide man even with Jamie Murphy’s season-ending injury, and a move to Ibrox now seems unlikely for the Jamaican-born winger.

Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez looks on during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Chelsea FC at St. James Park on August 26, 2018 in Newcastle upon Tyne, United...