Five Newcastle United players are fighting for their first-team futures after being set a challenge by Rafael Benitez, according to The Chronicle.
The outlet report that Rolando Aarons, Cal Roberts, Jamie Sterry, Adam Armstrong and Victor Fernandez need to impress Benitez in training or face being loaned out this season.
Benitez revealed to the outlet that it’s going to be tough for Aarons to get into the first-team next season, so it’s possible he may be loaned out before the transfer window closes, but he has set him a challenge to impress and be ready if needed.
“With Kenedy coming back, we have to be honest it won’t be easy,” The Spaniard told the local outlet.
“He knows that we are working on his fitness. We’ll see what happens with other players.
“You never know because the training sessions and games in pre-season you could get injuries.
“So others have to be ready and be fit. If everybody is fit (by deadline day), we check the numbers and some may have to go.
“If not they have to be as well as possible.”
The 22-year-old spent last season on loan at Italian side Hellas Verona, where he made 11 appearances in Serie A.
OPINION
With the way Newcastle’s transfer window is going, these youngsters might have to stay and fight for a first-team place yet. The fewer signings that are made this summer, the more likely it is that players like Rolando Aarons will be handed an opportunity to make an impact in the first-team. It’s a shame that young English players have to make way for expensive foreign signings to come in, any one of these youngsters could be the next big thing, but we won’t know until they’re given a chance to impress in senior games. If they do end up going out on loan and making an impact, then there is a small chance they might break through into the Newcastle senior team, but it’s a very small chance. They need to impress Benitez now, because it might be their only chance to work so closely with him at The Magpies.