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Aston Villa remain interested in signing Juventus youngster Samuel Iling-Junior in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh rumour.

Who is Samuel Iling-Junior?

The 19-year-old Englishman spent the vast majority of his youth career at Chelsea, arriving at Stamford Bridge in 2011 and spending the next nine years there. He then made the move to Juve, where he has broken into the first team, making 18 appearances to date and holding his own.

Iling-Junior is currently contracted with Juve until the summer of 2025, but it could be that he is allowed to leave the club before then, should interest arrive.

Villa are continuing to work hard on new signings, following a brilliant summer that has already seen the likes of Pau Torres, Youri Tielemans and Moussa Diaby come in, as they look to build on a brilliant campaign that led to qualification from the UEFA Europa Conference League.

They have been linked with a move for Iling-Junior in the recent past, and it looks as though they are still looking to potentially snap him up.

Could Aston Villa sign Samuel Iling-Junior?

According to Tuttosport [via Sport Witness], the teenage attacker has "long been on Monchi's list" of potential signings for Villa, as he aims to work his brilliance since coming in from Sevilla this summer. Their interest in him has been "rekindled", although much may depend on the future of Leon Bailey.

Juve are demanding €25m (£21.4m) for Iling-Junior's services, although it is stressed that they certainly aren't desperate for him to leave, with only an "important offer" doing enough to turn their heads. Everton are also mentioned as potential suitors.

While Villa signing players in and around their peak years is great to see this summer, it is also important that the club continue to plan for the future, too, ensuring that this period under Unai Emery isn't just a fleeting spell of positivity and possible success.

With that in mind, Iling-Junior could be a really exciting signing who comes in as a squad player to begin with, before eventually becoming more of a key figure as time passes, and as his level of maturity as a footballer grows. To have already played nearly 20 times for a club of Juve's stature says a lot about his potential, and he has also represented England at five different youth team levels, including winning three caps for the Under-20s.

Predominantly a left-sided player, the former Chelsea youngster's ability is summed up by the fact that a return to Stamford Bridge has been mooted, while financial powerhouses Manchester City and Newcastle United have also been in the conversation when it comes to his next move.

Bringing in a young homegrown player is always exciting for an English club, in terms of hitting their quota and having a big talent from his homeland in the squad, so the idea of Iling-Junior in a Villa shirt is very exciting, with the positives outweighing the negatives.

At worst, he could simply come in and not fulfill his potential, but on the plus side, the Villans could acquire his signature before others manage to swoop in, snapping up a huge talent in the process.

Leeds United are now among the main contenders to sign West Ham United's Michail Antonio this summer, with the forward pushing hard for a move, according to recent report from Football Transfers.

Is Michail Antonio leaving West Ham this summer?

With just one year remaining on his West Ham contract, it now appears very likely that Antonio will leave this summer, and he has attracted the interest of a number of Premier League clubs, with TEAMtalk recently naming Wolverhampton Wanderers as potential suitors.

The Hammers are open to offers for the striker, who was in and out of David Moyes' starting XI last season, with Everton and Nottingham Forest also in the mix, following the collapse of his proposed move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq.

Read The Latest Leeds Transfer News HERE

According to a report from Football Transfers, the Jamaica international is now pushing hard for a move away this summer, and he has no shortage of suitors, with Leeds and Celtic among the main contenders for his signature.

After quite a poor season by his standards, scoring more goals in the Europa Conference League than he did in the top flight, a change of scenery is now on the cards for the 33-year-old, but he may not be available immediately.

Moyes is set to block any potential exit before a proper replacement is found, with the Hammers in dire need of new attacking options, after Gianluca Scamacca recently joined Atalanta in a deal worth £27m.

A small fee may be required to sign the London-born forward, given that he still has one year left on his contract, with the Whites keen to add him to their squad, having already lost some attacking talent during the summer transfer window.

Is Michail Antonio joining Leeds?

With a number of Premier League clubs vying for the West Ham star's signature, it may be difficult for Daniel Farke to win the race for his signature, although a move to Elland Road could be an attractive offer, as he is likely to get more game time in the Championship.

Last season, the former Nottingham Forest man demonstrated he still has what it takes to compete at a high level, weighing in with six goals for the Hammers en-route to their Europa Conference League triumph, which suggests he could be a top player at Championship level.

The veteran striker clearly knows where the back of the net is, but he also has a number of other key strengths, having been hailed by Premier League journalist Chris Williams, who said:

"Michail Antonio is a very clever player, reads defenders exceptionally well, then has the strength and power to take them on and cause mayhem. Brilliant player to watch."

Not only that, the £85k-per-week attacker is also extremely versatile, having featured at full-back, on both wings, and at striker throughout his career, which could make him a fantastic option for Farke.

Antonio could be a perfect signing for a team with aspirations of being promoted from the Championship, and Leeds should definitely pursue a deal for him once West Ham sign a replacement.

Leeds United are continuing their search for a new striker in the summer transfer window and another option has now been added to the list.

Do Leeds want to sign a striker?

The Whites have made a fairly forgettable start to life back in the Championship, having failed to win either of their first two matches. They started the season with a 2-2 draw at home to Cardiff City earlier this month, while on Saturday afternoon, they were beaten 1-0 away to Birmingham City.

It has been a sobering opening to the campaign and one that has highlighted the need for new signings to arrive in the current transfer window.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

Improvements are needed in various areas of the pitch, but it is in attack where Leeds arguably look particularly light, with Rodrigo moving on earlier in the summer and doubts surrounding the long-term worth of Patrick Bamford, as he continues to struggle with injury problems.

Wilfried Gnonto is also refusing to play as he pushes for a move away from Elland Road with Everton keen on his services, further highlighting how important it is that reinforcements come in. It looks as if the Whites, and by extension new owners the 49ers Enterprises, are acting on it, however, following a new update.

Will Everton sign Tom Cannon?

According to reliable journalist Alan Nixon on Patreon [via MOT Leeds News], Leeds have "been keeping an eye on developments" regarding Cannon's future, but they aren't alone in showing an interest in the Irishman.

Fellow Championship clubs Sunderland and Stoke City are also believed to be in the mix, showing that it won't be easy to bring him in, with £8m potentially enough to snap him up this summer.

Cannon could be a shrewd signing by Leeds this summer, coming in as a young player with a bright future in the game, being hailed as "outstanding" by Liam Rosenior earlier this year. Last season, the 20-year-old enjoyed an impressive spell on loan at Preston, scoring eight goals in 21 appearances, so he has proven that he can cope in the Championship.

Granted, he may not necessarily come in as a guaranteed starter for the Whites, given his age, but squad depth is important moving forward, allowing Daniel Farke to rotate effectively and keep all of his attacking options fresh as the season goes on.

Should Cannon come in and hit the ground running though, finding the net regularly, there is no reason why he shouldn't be trusted to lead the line, considering he has proven himself at the same level recently.

The youngster has also scored once in as many caps for the Republic of Ireland's Under-21s, suggesting he could eventually make the step up to the senior side at international level, and while £8m is a lot of money for someone still fairly unproven, he could be worth taking a punt on.

Either way, a new striker could do with arriving between now and the end of the month, or Leeds will risk being weak in a huge area of the pitch until at least the January transfer window.

Glasgow Rangers have been busy in the market throughout the summer transfer window and could take their incoming business into double digits before the deadline

Who have Rangers signed this summer?

The Light Blues have been able to bolster their squad in a number of areas as Michael Beale has snapped up nine new signings to date.

Leon Balogun, Cyriel Dessers, Danilo, Kieran Dowell, Jack Butland, Dujon Sterling, Jose Cifuentes, and Sam Lammers have all come through the door on permanent deals. They have also loaned in winger Abdallah Sima from Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion.

Read the latest Rangers transfer news HERE…

A tenth addition could be on the way over the coming weeks as they were recently touted with interest in Millwall centre-back Jake Cooper, who is now into the final 12 months of his contract with the English side.

How good is Jake Cooper?

The 6 foot 6 titan is a dominant defender who could arrive at Ibrox to form a monstrous partnership with Connor Goldson at the heart of Beale's backline.

John Souttar has started the current campaign on the left of the central defensive pairing but the Scotland international's fitness record in recent years suggests that the Gers need an excellent option to compete with or provide cover for him.

The former Hearts stopper has missed a whopping 87 competitive matches through injury since the start of the 2020/21 season and was absent for 43 Rangers games last term.

Cooper, on the other hand, has featured in at least 42 league matches for Millwall in each of the last five campaigns, which shows that he is a durable and reliable option on the left side of the defence.

The left-footed brute could form an intimidating partnership with Goldson as they are both able to dominate opposition attackers in the air. Cooper won 67% of his aerial duels last season and 73% of them during the previous term, as per Sofascore.

In fact, the English ace ranked within the top 5% of his positional peers at Championship level with 5.05 headers won per 90 during the 2022/23 campaign.

Meanwhile, the current Rangers colossus has won at least 63% of his aerial contests over the last three full Scottish Premiership years, which shows that both players come out on top in the majority of their headed duels and would be able to deal with teams who hurl balls into the box or try to play long to a target man.

Cooper, who was once hailed as "invaluable" by boss Gary Rowett, averaged Sofascore ratings of 6.94 and 7.13 across the 2022/23 and 2021/22 seasons respectively, whilst only Goldson (7.29) recorded a score higher than 6.96 last term.

These statistics suggest that the 28-year-old Gers target has the quality to be an excellent performer due to his consistently impressive performances, whilst also being more reliable than Souttar in terms of his potential availability throughout the year.

Therefore, Beale could land a monster partner for Goldson to start alongside the English battler when Souttar is unavailable by securing a deal to sign the dominant Millwall giant before the window slams shut.

Journalist Paul Brown has now provided Everton fans with another update on their pursuit of Leeds United winger Wilfried Gnonto, who has made it clear he wants to leave this summer.

Is Wilfried Gnonto refusing to play?

Gnonto has missed Leeds' last three matches, having refused to play for the club amid interest from Everton, meaning he was initially training away from the main group of players, but he has now returned to first-team training, after talks with Daniel Farke.

The 19-year-old has handed in a transfer request, but the Whites have been resolute that he is not for sale this summer, and they are in a strong position to keep hold of him, given that he is contracted until the summer of 2027.

After missing the last three games, the youngster is back in contention to play for Leeds against Ipswich Town this weekend, but it is clear that he wishes to leave Elland Road this summer, and he only has one new club in mind.

In an interview with GiveMeSport, Brown has now confirmed the Italian is still keen on a move to Goodison Park, but the Toffees may have now reached their limit, with their alleged upcoming bid of £30m likely to be their final offer.

The journalist said: “Gnonto clearly wants to join Everton and seemingly only Everton. He's made it very clear to his club that he's not interested in being reintegrated into the side and just wants to go.

“It’s still a bit of an impasse and clearly Everton aren't going to match the asking price that Leeds want for the player.

“So it's just whether they believe they can turn this situation around or not, or whether the player is simply digging his heels in so much that Leeds just have to accept less than they wanted.”

Read The Latest Everton Transfer News HERE

How good is Wilfried Gnonto?

After Leeds' 4-3 victory against AFC Bournemouth last season, pundit Tam McManus waxed lyrical about the starlet, saying: “Wow, what a performance from him. He looks like he has a real low centre of gravity and he looks absolutely tremendous.

“In terms of the goal as a whole, that’s the best you will see all season. This kid is an Italy international already and he can’t get a look in at Leeds? What has gone on there?

The 12-time Italy international did eventually manage to cement himself as a more regular first-team player, making 24 Premier League appearances, as well as having three outings in the FA Cup, scoring two goals.

The Leeds ace had a solid breakthrough season at Elland Road, but Everton should not be held to ransom, given that he is yet to prove himself in the Premier League, scoring just twice in 24 games last season.

Signing a new striker should be a more pressing concern for Dyche, especially considering Dominic Calvert-Lewin is now injured, with the issue believed to be worse than first feared, while Neal Maupay has been very poor for the Toffees.

Over the past year, Maupay has averaged just 0.07 non-penalty goals per 90, despite being expected to average 0.45, so it is clear that a replacement is needed.

Fulham are keen on signing West Ham United's Michail Antonio this summer, with a new report revealing the striker could ask to leave before the transfer deadline…

Who are Fulham signing this summer?

In the final days of the summer transfer window, one of Marco Silva's main aims will be to strengthen at full-back, given that he wants to bring in two new players in that area, and a deal for Leicester City's Timothy Castagne is now completed.

The announcement to confirm Castagne's arrival has now happened, with the Belgian joining in a £15m deal, but the Cottagers will remain in the market for another full-back, most likely on the opposite side, with AS Monaco's Ismail Jakobs said to be the priority target,

As Aleksandar Mitrovic has now left Fulham, signing a new striker will also be of key significance, with Atalanta's Duvan Zapata and Chelsea's Armando Broja being named as potential options by transfer insider Dean Jones, although both deals will be difficult.

A £21m bid has already been made for Flamengo striker Pedro, and a second bid was said to be in the process of being prepared, but the west London club are yet to submit another offer for the Brazilian.

Instead, the Cottagers could look at signing a striker from much closer to home, with Football Transfers reporting they are one of the clubs keen on signing Antonio, but they will have to do battle with Leeds United and clubs in the Saudi Pro League.

The 33-year-old, who has scored four goals against Fulham during his career, has also attracted interest from the Scottish Premiership, so he will have a number of proposals to consider, should he decide to leave West Ham, and there is a chance his days could be numbered at the London Stadium.

The Hammers are in the market for another striker, leaving some doubt over the Jamaican's future, and he has informed David Moyes that he wishes to leave this summer if they sign Youssef En-Nesyri from Sevilla, as he feels his game time would become more limited.

How much does Michail Antonio earn per week?

The veteran forward, who is currently tied down to an £85k-per-week contract at the London Stadium, has made a flying start to the Premier League season, scoring two goals in his first three games, picking up where he left off last season.

En-route to the Irons' Europa Conference League triumph, the former Nottingham Forest man scored six goals in nine games, while he also recorded eight goal contributions in 33 Premier League games, once again cementing his place as a key player.

Although the Jamaica international is now in the latter stages of his career, he could still be an excellent signing for Fulham, particularly considering he has been lauded as an "unbelievable" player by his current manager.

However, considering the start Antonio has made to the campaign, it would not be a surprise if Moyes is unwilling to sanction his departure, and there are also doubts over whether he is a viable long-term replacement for Mitrovic, as he is now 33 years of age.

Former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder and club icon Carlton Palmer has given his verdict on what he thinks about two of the Owls' summer signings.

When Sunderland got promoted from League One in 2022, they entered the Championship with one of the strongest squads in the league – Black Cats’ sporting director Kristjaan Speakman managed to recruit the likes of Édouard Michut, Daniel Ballard and Amad Diallo, who would help the side finish in the playoffs.

Sheffield Wednesday on the other hand hasn’t managed to recruit as well as their new league rivals since their promotion to the Championship and losing manager Darren Moore only makes their fight for survival much harder.

Former Watford boss Xisco Muñoz was appointed as Moore’s successor, however, the Spaniard is struggling to guide his side to points.

The Owls currently sit 23rd in the Championship with their only point coming in a lacklustre 0-0 draw to Yorkshire rivals Leeds United.

And Palmer hasn't been too impressed by the deadline-day acquisitions of Jeff Hendrick and John Buckley…

What has Carlton Palmer said about Wednesday's transfer business?

Speaking to FootballLeagueWorld this week, Palmer said:

"Sheffield Wednesday needed to bring in some Championship experienced players into their squad, so on deadline day, they secured the services of John Buckley.

“It was believed that Buckley was the subject of a £3 million pound bid from Swansea on a permanent deal, but Buckley rejected the move to stay up north.

"Buckley has fallen down the pecking order at Blackburn starting only 21 games last season, but at 23, has played over 100 Championship games, so is a useful acquisition."

Palmer then turned his attention to Hendrick. The former Leeds United midfielder added:

"Hendrick is 31, is experienced, and has a lot of Championship experience.

"He spent last season out on loan at Reading playing 45 league games. Although they were relegated, that was due to the six-point deduction. So, [Hendrick is] another useful acquisition.

"Both are not top-drawer signings but useful additions to the squad."

Who have Sheffield Wednesday signed this season?

Wednesday’s deadline day business may save them from relegation as they managed to get a few additions through the door. One signing that the three-time FA Cup winners signed was Irish midfielder Hendrick from Newcastle United.

The 31-year-old had seen his minutes vanish at Newcastle United as the Magpies invested heavily in their midfield with the Dublin-born midfielder being nowhere near the quality of £55m rated Sandro Tonali or £42.7m Bruno Guimarães.

The £1.2m valued midfielder played three times for Newcastle in the 2021/22 season and was later shipped off to Reading the next year. During his time at the Royals, Hendrick played 45 times in the Championship scoring four and assisting once as his side were relegated.
The Owls also reinforced on deadline day with 23-year-old John Buckley arriving on loan from Blackburn Rovers.
Like Hendrick, Buckley also plays in the centre of the park and has already played 130 times for the Riversiders despite his relatively young age. Last season, the hard-working midfielder averaged 0.43 yellow cards a game (seven in total), so Muñoz may want to have a chat with his new signing about being less aggressive when defending.
Whether Palmer is right in his assessment remains to be seen, but after the international break, the Spaniard will be hoping the arrival of these two midfielders will help change their fortunes on the pitch or they will face an instant return to the doldrums of League One.

Celtic maintained their position at the top of the Scottish Premiership table as they swept Dundee aside on Saturday with a 3-0 win at Parkhead.

Who scored for Celtic against Dundee?

David Turnbull opened the scoring from the penalty spot after he was adjudged to have been fouled just inside the box, although it took VAR to confirm that the incident was indeed a penalty rather than a free-kick.

The second then came as Callum McGregor floated a delicious cross in for Kyogo Furuhashi to rise and flick the ball past the goalkeeper with his head.

Celtic's Japanese marksman then turned provider as he raced down the right channel and produced a pinpoint cutback for Matt O'Riley to make it 3-0 and wrap up all three points.

How good was Kyogo against Dundee?

Whilst Kyogo caught the eye with a lethal display up front, the Denmark U21 international was an unsung hero for Brendan Rodgers with his display in the middle of the park.

The Japan international was not constantly involved in the match with regard to overall touches and did not provide a physical outlet for the team to play off through the middle of the pitch, but certainly made up for it with a goal and assist.

O'Riley, on the other hand, produced a fantastic all-round display throughout the match as he made an impact in and out of possession for the Scottish giants.

How good was Matt O'Riley against Dundee?

The 22-year-old was rock solid off the ball and did not allow the opposition to get the better of him in any physical contest as he won 100% (4/4) of his duels throughout 73 minutes on the pitch.

This certainly shows that he had too much strength for Dundee and was a brick wall in midfield for the Hoops.

His offensive play was also impressive too as the former MK Dons star caught the eye with his quality in possession. That included a composed and low finish for his third league goal of the campaign – matching his tally for the 2022/23 Premiership season already.

As per Sofascore, O'Riley completed 100% (2/2) of his attempted dribbles and had a pass success rate of 85%, which resulted in one key pass for his teammates, in 58 touches.

The central midfielder was reliable on the ball and rarely gave it away to the opposition, proving to be effective in his attacking actions, as the defenders found it impossible to dispossess him when he dribbled past them.

Kyogo certainly deserves plaudits for his two goal contributions that helped to secure all three points, ultimately receiving the highest Sofascore rating in the game (8.3).

However, O'Riley earned a rating of 8.0, which was the second-highest of the match, and as a result, was the unsung hero with the impact that he made at both ends of the pitch.

The ex-Fulham man put in an outstanding performance alongside Kyogo and Rodgers will surely be hoping for more of the same from the pair moving forward, particularly ahead of their Champions League clash with Feyenoord on Tuesday night.

Leeds United chief executive Angus Kinnear has signalled his belief that the Whites have rising stars at Elland Road that they could sell for 15 times more than what they paid.

What's the latest news involving Leeds United?

The Whites have been embroiled in a frustrating opening period in the Sky Bet Championship and have taken just six points from 15 available across their first five fixtures, placing them 15th in the league standings while the international break takes place.

Speaking on the Official Leeds United Podcast, Leeds United midfielder Jamie Shackleton has spoken of his delight at being able to share the field with new addition Sam Byram, who joined the club on a free transfer in the summer. Shackleton stated: “It helps that there’s always been people that you’ve seen do it, so I was in the academy, it was Sam Byram actually. When he came back, I was buzzing, I was like ‘oh my god I used to watch you every week, I used to ballboy and chuck you the ball, you probably don’t remember me’.”

He then added: “Yeah, he’s good, honestly I’m just buzzing we’re teammates now, it’s nuts to me but when I was 11-12, I was at the side absolutely idolising him. He’s come through the academy and done everything at that age that I wanted to do so, I’ve told him all this anyway.”

Youngster Jack Jenkins has now departed Elland Road and will spend the next few months on loan at Scunthorpe United before returning in January 2024.

Scotland youth international Rory Mahady has signed his first professional contract at Leeds United and is now tied to the Yorkshire giants on a deal that will run until the summer of 2025.

What has Angus Kinnear said about Crysencio Summerville?

Speaking on the Square Ball podcast, Leeds chief executive Kinnear has claimed that winger Crysencio Summerville, who was brought in from Feyenoord for £1.3million back in 2020, could now be worth around 15 times that value if they were to sell him in the current market.

Regarding a combination of Leeds United assets, Kinnear claimed that several players at the club would now rake in a sum of around £20 million, as he stated: "We found some great players. Even in the team we have at the moment. Willy Gnonto who we paid next to nothing for, Meslier we paid next to nothing for, Summerville who we paid next to nothing for and Pascal Struijk who we paid next to nothing for. They’re all £20m players and we received offers to that level."

Is Summerville worth £20million?

It is hard to argue that Summerville is not worth at least £20million in the modern day when taking into account his exploits in a Leeds United shirt along with his room to grow.

In his time at Elland Road, Summerville has made a notable impact in his time on the field, registering five goals and three assists in 43 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Across his displays in the Sky Bet Championship this term, he has averaged a match rating of 7.92/10 and taken around 3.5 shots per game alongside completing three dribbles per fixture, as per WhoScored.

Capable of providing a creative influence and a constant threat, Summerville also managed to complete 45 progressive passes in the Premier League last term overall, as per FBRef.

Newcastle United are a club like any other, they've had their fill of success stories and endured their burden of talented starlets to have failed to kick on after such tantalising early promise.

Football is enthralling, awe-inspiring; a sojourn from the harsh realities of life and a chance for camaraderie, revelling in the highs and nursing the wounds of chastening defeats with those suffering the same inflictions.

For those actually playing the beautiful game, it's the opportunity for a spot in the limelight and a lucrative career that wide-eyed, far-dreaming kids all so dearly yearn for.

But it doesn't always work out. So many fall prey to the unrelenting pressures of an unrelenting business, and for those that do fall by the wayside – be that in their formative years or after graduating and initially bursting onto the major scene with a flourish – football can be a cruel mistress indeed.

Players like Mehdi Abeid and Sammy Ameobi both flattered to deceive after an exciting introduction to life on Tyneside, while Remy Cabella – older when signing at 24, mind – arrived at St. James' Park with such fanfare, only for the attacking midfielder to founder and scored just once from 31 matches before leaving with his tail between his legs.

Perhaps one of the most poignant failures of recent years is that of Rolando Aarons, who actually plied his formative years with Newcastle as a player of immense quality, and despite dazzling upon his breakthrough, has now plummeted into the murky abyss.

When did Newcastle sign Rolando Aarons?

Released from Bristol City as a 13-year-old youth, Aarons was faced with a future of the worst kind for an aspiring footballer, the kind that feels like a veritable quagmire, so much hard work amounting to nothing.

Newcastle provided the Jamaica-born winger with some incredible respite, offering him a place in their academy ranks with the view to nurturing him to the first team.

What excitement the fleet-footed prodigy held; across the 13/14 campaign, a teenage Aarons would score three goals and supply an assist from 13 matches in the Premier League 2, alerting erstwhile manager Alan Pardew to his talents.

It was then that Aarons' budding career started to build steam, with a date with prominence surely awaiting over the hill.

What was said about Rolando Aarons when he first joined Newcastle?

After dazzling in pre-season in 2014 and earning a place in Newcastle's senior Premier League squad at the maiden stage of the 2014/15 season, the ace, then aged 18, was touted as a precocious player capable of filling the void left by a disgruntled Hatem Ben Afra's departure on loan to Hull City.

And he announced himself to the stage with deadly, prodigious promise, scoring two goals and supplying an assist from just six outings across the 2014/15 campaign, including a goal and assist apiece in just his second match, a cameo in the English top-flight against Crystal Palace.

Sadly, what hinted at being a remarkable entrance to the big time was detrimentally disrupted by injury, with a hamstring problem sidelining the gem for almost the entirety of that year.

Indeed, those around him were waxing lyrical as a confident, electric and ferocious wide forward demonstrated skills requisite for success at the highest level, with sports performance expert Ray Wilson holding the then-teenager in high regard in 2015.

He said, “I believe he can go all the way. He’s got the right mentality. He’s not afraid of hard work. If you throw a hurdle at him he’s brave enough and strong enough he will attempt it. And if he can’t succeed today he’ll make all the small steps that he needs tomorrow."

The Daily Mail's Craig Hope even envisaged a future to match that of the burgeoning Raheem Sterling in 2014, who at the time plied his trade with Liverpool, with the reporter writing that 'Aarons boasts all of the same attributes as the Liverpool star and is strikingly similar in build and style.'

Sterling had just starred for Liverpool during the historic 2013/14 title-challenging season, with the deadly Anfield strikeforce ultimately failing to stop Manchester City from claiming the Premier League title.

A young Sterling claimed nine goals and seven assists during his breakout year and looked a talent set for the top, soon earning a £49m transfer to the Citizens – and the rest, as they say, is history.

Where is Rolando Aarons now?

A career tainted by injurious injustice; a possible England star stained by his hapless luck in the medical room. Aarons would only play 27 times for the Magpies, scoring four goals and providing three assists, before finally leaving the club with more than a little pathos.

A range of loan spells – including stints with Scottish side Motherwell, Sheffield Wednesday and Serie A outfit Hellas Verona – all bore rotten fruits.

In fact, having scored four times for Newcastle, Aarons has actually found the net just four more times across the rest of his career so far.

Now 27 years old, the two-cap Jamaica international is without a club after an inauspicious, two-year spell with Huddersfield Town, where he played just 12 times and failed to register a single direct goal contribution.

Injuries have ravaged his chances of sustaining minutes with any meaningful regularity, and Aarons will now just be hoping to find a club to rekindle his career as soon as possible.

A sobering story that epitomises the strife that many players must endure after being lionised in the embryonic period of a hard, gruelling fight to cement a starting berth at a first-rate football club, Aarons will forever rue the woes on the injury front that hindered his career from really taking off.

For a player who could have emulated his homeland peer in Sterling, it's a case of what could have been. But injuries aside, supporters will hold Aarons in an endearing light, having captivated so many when waltzing onto the pitch with such swagger all those years ago.