ROLANDO Aarons will spend the rest of the year training with Newcastle United’s academy after Rafa Benitez left him out of the Premier League squad.

The 22-year-old has not played in the top-flight since December last year and he has struggled to establish himself in Benitez’s plans after injury problems.

Benitez had hoped Aarons would be on loan somewhere by now in a bid for him to regain his confidence and match fitness.

There was a lack of takers before the transfer window closed from home and abroad and now his career is in limbo again.

Aarons spent a chunk of last season on loan at Hellas Verona but he had hoped to have worked his way back into Benitez’s plans for this season.

Instead the winger has been left wondering what the future holds, given his contract runs until 2021 and he will not be playing first team football again this year.

The best he can hope for is to perform well for Newcastle’s Under-23s between now and January and when the transfer window opens he either seals a move or Benitez gives him a fresh chance.

That looks unlikely at this stage and is a far cry from four years ago when Alan Pardew handed Aarons his chance when he scored a stunning goal in pre-season against Schalke. Two years later he scored his first Premier League goal against Crystal Palace.

While Aarons is left working with the academy players, the door for Achraf Lazaar to play again for Newcastle remains open.

Lazaar was another who was told he could leave in the summer but nothing materialised. Rather than discard him, though, Benitez has given the Moroccan a place in the Premier League squad.

He was close to joining Genoa last month but has remained at St James’ Park, where he moved two years ago from Palermo. He has struggled to make an impact at first team level.

Lazaar could now work his way back over to the first team training complex having been named in the Premier League squad.

He provides an option down the flanks, either as a full-back or winger, so his versatility is something Benitez must feel could still prove useful. There are no other surprises in the squad, while a long list of youngsters including Freddie Woodman, Sean Longstaff and Cal Roberts are all eligible because of their age.

Newcastle squad: Atsu, Clark, Darlow, Diame, Dubravka, Dummett, Elliot, Fernandez, Hayden, Joselu, Kenedy, Ki, Lascelles, Lazaar, Lejeune, Manquillo, Murphy, Muto, Perez, Ritchie, Rondon, Schar, Shelvey, Sterry, Yedlin.