Rolando Aarons‘ proposed move to Huddersfield Town may have ‘collapsed’ on the EFL’s deadline day last Friday, however it looks like he could still seal a move to the Championship side.
Terriers owner Phil Hodgkinson has confirmed that he is the clubs “top target” heading into the January window, insisting that the deal only fell through due to time – not a late decision on their part.
As reported over the past few days, it’s believed paperwork was submitted to the EFL just TWO minutes late, meaning the 24-year-old remains a Newcastle United player for at least the next 10 weeks.
That said, it seems like a move to Huddersfield may be good to go as soon as the transfer window open in a few month’s time.
Here’s what Hodgkinson had to say about it all to Yorkshire Live:
“The deal for Rolando was ready to go but we didn’t need to fill that position if the deal for Karlan didn’t go through,”
“Ultimately it didn’t go through until Thursday, at which point we set everything in motion with Rolando.
“He was already in the area, we did his medical on Friday, and we got on with the process and it was ready to go.
“It was just unfortunate that something happened very, very late on with minutes to go that meant that we just couldn’t do it.
“It was just one of those things, not something we could have expected or provided for, but that’s life and we’ve just got to accept that sometimes these things happen in football.
“I think we want to make sure we’re signing the right players that make us better and we believed that Rolando would do that.
“Unfortunately we couldn’t get it done and that’s life and it happens, but we still are confident that he’s the right player, so rather than bringing someone in at the last minute or bringing in someone else…
“He’s our top target, he remains so, and what we’d rather do is get through the next 10 weeks to January and get it done then rather than bring in somebody that maybe doesn’t tick all the boxes Rolando did.”
So, it seems Aarons’ move to Huddersfield was dependant on Karlan Grant’s late transfer to West Brom going through – however the latter deal was complete at the death, leaving the Terrier’s very little time to tie up the Toon winger.
Nevertheless, it sounds like they’ll be straight back in for him in the New Year – and it’s just as well for both them, the player and Newcastle United.
With his contract up at the end of the season, Bruce needing to cut his squad to make space for additions of his own and Aarons himself in desperate need of game time, this should be a move that suits all parties.
For everyone’s sake, I hope this one is rekindled in 10 weeks time.
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