Sheffield Wednesday boss Steve Bruce has praised Newcastle United midfielder Rolando Aarons as the winger continues to impress at Hillsborough.
Bruce brought Aarons in on-loan back on deadline day and the 23-year-old has hit the ground running - with a goal and an assist in nine games.
It is a welcome turnaround for Aarons who failed to impress on loan at Czech club Slovan Liberec in the first half of the season and was told by United manager Rafa Benitez that he wasn't going to get game time.
"I think with anybody who has been out for a long time and who has been under the radar for a bit, the main thing is A. can you put together a run of games and B. can you stay fit," Bruce told the Sheffield Star.
"I’ve seen the advantage of both of those things with Rolando. Of course, scoring a goal and playing well gives everybody that bit of confidence and Rolando has given us that something that we didn’t have before in the wide areas.
"He’s got a little trick, he’s quick and he can score a goal.
"He’s improving and that can only go game by game. He’s done well the lad, really good lad, wants to do well, wants to enjoy it, plays with a smile on his face. It’s good to see."
"The biggest thing when you haven’t had the best of times, the biggest thing you want to do when you are a footballer is play and certainly we have given him that platform.
“From the very first time he came on he did a trick within a minute if you remember and people took a look and thought aye we haven’t seen something like that in a while, so he’s had a bit of an impact and let’s hope he can maintain it.
“That’s the key and the important thing the more he plays.”
'He’s done great since he walked through the door' - Steve Bruce raves about Rolando Aarons
What Rafa Benitez has texted Newcastle loanee Rolando Aarons since January move
