Aarons was linked with a move away from Newcastle during the transfer window.
Newcastle United have opted to leave academy product Rolando Aarons on the sidelines after naming a 25-man Premier League squad without including the tricky winger – but Newcastle fans are very much divided.
The Mirror claimed towards the end of the transfer window that Steven Gerrard’s Rangers, AEK Athens and Hull City were all interested in signing the 22-year-old wide man.
However, he has remained at St. James’ Park, but could be ruing his decision to do so. The Premier League’s official website confirmed that Aarons had not been named in the squad – with players over 21 having to be registered.
Aarons suffered a long-term knee injury at the start of the 2016-17 promotion-winning campaign, but returned last season and made five senior appearances for Newcastle before going on loan to Italian side Hellas Verona.
Now, the Jamaican-born winger has only a couple of options. He could request to come to a mutual agreement on the cancellation of his current Toon contract, or he could show Benitez what he is missing in the Under-23 side.
Newcastle will not be able to name new players in their squad until the January transfer window, and performing well in Ben Dawson’s second string between now and January could give Aarons the chance to reignite his career.
Aarons currently had three years remaining on his contract at St. James’ Park, which the Daily Star claim is worth £10,000 a week.
Some Newcastle fans reacted to the news that Aarons had been left out of the squad, but they could not come to a decision on whether Benitez is correct to drop the winger – or indeed he has made the wrong choice.
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