Newcastle United have quite a large first-team squad, with the number of senior players pushing the 30 mark.
Of course, the vast majority rarely play for Newcastle’s first-team and there are a number of youngsters on the fringes as well.
Newcastle did axe some deadwood this summer but perhaps more trimming could have been done.
There are some players in this squad who have very little chance of getting any game time this season.
These players should have left the club on loan while the window was still open. Here are four players that Newcastle should have let leave on a temporary arrangement.
Rolando Aarons
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Aarons has been completely frozen out of the picture. His fall from grace has been remarkable.
The former England under-20 international was tipped for stardom after bursting onto the scene.
But since then, a combination of injuries and poor form has hampered the 22-year-old’s progress.
After an unproductive loan spell at Hellas Verona, Aarons should have left this summer, either permanently or on loan again.
Achraf Lazaar
Lazaar has been a major flop since his move from Palermo in 2016.
The 17-cap Morocco international plays at left-back but has only managed four league outings for the Magpies in two years.
The 26-year-old saw a loan move to Genoa collapse before the deadline and now it looks like he is stranded.
With three years still left to run on his contract, who knows what the future holds for Lazaar.
Isaac Hayden
Hayden is closer to the first-team and he has played for the Magpies this season.
But he was sent off in that fixture and handed in a transfer request earlier in the summer.
The 23-year-old is clearly unsettled at Newcastle and needed a move away from the club.
Once the permanent deadline passed, the former Arsenal midfielder should have been granted a loan move to the Championship for his own sake.
Freddie Woodman
Newcastle’s first-choice stopper is Martin Dubravka. Then you have Karl Darlow and Rob Elliot on the books too.
So Woodman’s chances of getting first-team action are slim, despite the club highly rating their youngster.
The 21-year-old has enjoyed success out on loan before, most recently at Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership.
In order to progress, the England under-21 international needs senior match time and Newcastle might have stunted his development by keeping him at St James’ Park.