Liverpool and Manchester City are ready to fight it out for the signature of Newcastle starlet Rolando Aarons, according to the Daily Star.
Aarons has burst onto the scene with the Magpies this season, scoring in the Premier League against Crystal Palace and the Capital One Cup win over Manchester City at the Etihad.
Comparisons have been made between 18-year-old Aarons and 19-year-old Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling, with both having been born in Kingston Jamaica, and both considered pacy and skillful wingers.
Aarons has caught the attention of last season’s top two with some impressive performances on Tyneside this season, but insists his feet remain firmly on the ground, despite the comparisons with Liverpool and England star Sterling.
He said last month:
‘Raheem has played really well for the past two or three seasons and I’m nowhere near that level yet,’ he said.
‘He’s played for England at the World Cup and I’ve only managed three or four games for Newcastle.
‘So I don’t think there’s any reason to get carried away.’
Aarons sees his current deal at St James’ Park run out next summer, although there is an option of extending the deal by a further year.
Newcastle want to tie him down to a long term deal, but the fact he is yet to open negotiations has got both City and Liverpool on red alert.