Former Sheffield Wednesday winger Rolando Aarons has penned a deal with top Slovenian outfit NK Celje as they hunt a Champions League spot.
The 28-year-old, who was most recently on the books of Huddersfield Town, has agreed a deal until the end of the 2024/25 season, with a year’s option available to the club. The move puts him firmly in the midst of a battle for a Champions League spot, with Celje currently ten points clear of Olimpija Ljubljana just past the halfway stage of the competition.
“I am happy that I got the opportunity to become a part of Celje after passing the trial period,” said the Jamaican international. “The team is of high quality, and I want to contribute everything I can.
“When I received the offer, I had to do some research, but after the first few training sessions, I realized that the league table reflects the quality. I also watched two matches and believe that Celje is what I currently need as the next step in my career.
“I have arrived at the right time, as the winter preparation period gives me a chance to make up for the half-season I didn’t play. I want to return to the level I have already shown. With my performances, I want to help the club win titles and play in Europe.”
Celje were in Europe this season – they finished second in the Slovenian table, putting them in the qualifying stages of the Conference League. After beating Portugal’s Vitória de Guimarães on penalties, they brushed aside Belrussian outfit Neman Grodno, leaving them a single game from the group stages. Maccabi Tel Aviv, who later topped their group, ended the run with s 5-1 aggregate defeat.
Celje, champions in 2019/20, have qualified for the Champions League before, beating Dundalk in the 20/21 season before going out to Molde in the qualifying rounds, and they’ll be hoping Aarons’ ability is the leg up they need to make the group stage of competition finally.
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He started his career with Newcastle United after coming through the youth ranks at Bristol City. He appeared 22 times for Newcastle, scoring his first Premier League goal in a 3-3 draw with Crystal Palace in August 2014. While on the books at St James’ Park, he had loan spells in Europe with Hellas Verona and Slovan Liberec, which was ideal preparation for his current European adventure.
He also had loan spells in the UK with Motherwell, Wycombe and, most notably, Sheffield Wednesday. He spent the second half of the 2018/19 season at Hillsborough and didn’t appear on the losing side in an Owls game. He appeared nine times, scoring as they beat Bolton 2-0, and helped them secure a midtable finish.
Most recently, he had a spell with Huddersfield and another loan spell in Scotland with Motherwell, but couldn’t get regular games, and he’s been out of contract since the summer.
Writer’s View
Aarons was once touted as the next Raheem Sterling, but somehow his career has petered out. He’s shown what he can do in flashes – Sheff Weds fans saw it on occasion, and Gareth Ainsworth knew he had a player who was capable of so much more.
Being capable and showing you’re capable are two very different things, and Aarons has struggled to prove that all his early potential can amount to anything. Bristol City released him at 13, and despite playing twice for Jamaica, it would be hard to argue he is ‘the one that got away’ from the Robins.
This is his last chance, an opportunity to win real honours, a top title in Slovenia. You may not see Slovenian teams in the group stages of big tournaments, but they’re always in the qualifying rounds, and it only takes one goal, one moment, to become the next Sheriff Tiraspol, upsetting the big guns.
Could it be Celje? Could Aarons be set for one last swansong? He’ll have to be better than he was at Motherwell and Huddersfield, but you never quite know with European football.
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