Former Newcastle United forward opens up on Leeds United transfer snub

Rolando Aarons has revealed for the first time that he snubbed Leeds United for Newcastle United at the age of 16.

Now 28-years-old, Aarons's career has been severely impacted by injury with Transfermarkt stating he has missed a total of 123 matches - almost matching the 139 he has actually managed across the professional tiers of English football and also some time spent on the continent.

With 14 goals and nine assists in this time, it is certainly not the career that was laid out in front of the once highly-regarded homegrown talent.

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Currently with Slovenian Prva Liga outfit NK Celje, the midfielder has reflected on the choices he made when earning his big break in 2012. With clubs including Leeds circling for the Bristol City youth talent back in 2012, St. James' Park would end up his destination.

"It happened quite fast because I went from living in Bristol and getting released by Bristol City to going to Newcastle and having a lot of problems in my first six months," he told ChronicleLive. "I actually wanted to leave and go back and change my mind.

"I got offered a pro deal at Leeds United before I came to Newcastle. So I was almost asking my agent 'do you think I can just go Leeds instead?' Because it was also a massive culture shock compared to what I was used to.

"So then going away for pre-season, having a good pre-season, coming back, getting the number 16 shirt, which is obviously like a proper squad number. It all happened too fast to process."

He would later find a home in West Yorkshire, albeit with Leeds' rivals Huddersfield Town. He spent two seasons at the John Smiths' Stadium, but even still was only called upon 11 times by the first team.

Whichever way you look at it, Leeds may have dodged a potential bullet as a result of Aarons' decision 12 years ago, or they could have completely changed the outlook of the forward's career.