REPORT: Jets tracking Diego Castro

Michael Huguenin

REPORT: Jets tracking Diego Castro image

Newcastle Jets CEO Lawrie McKinna has revealed the A-League cellar-dwellers have made "informal" enquiries about signing Perth Glory's Diego Castro.

The Jets slumped to the bottom of the A-League table on Sunday after losing the F3 Derby to Central Coast Mariners and are odds-on to claim the wooden spoon after this weekend's final round.

It has been a dreadful finish to the 2016-17 campaign, which promised at other periods, and owner Martin Lee appears ready to splash the cash to make a difference next season.

Why Glory are willing to wait for Castro

Speaking to The World Game, McKinna said the Jets had been approached about the possibility of signing Castro, who is off contract at the end of the season.

"If we're going to do better we have to try to get players like a Castro," McKinna said.

"It's just an informal thing at this stage. It wasn't Castro's actual agent we spoke to, but sometimes there is more than one person involved in a process like this and it's someone we're familiar with in this case.

Castro focused on Glory's finals bid

"We gave him authority to ask questions on our behalf. It happens all the time in the UK.

"Now we're just sitting back and reflecting and we're going to get this weekend out of the way and see where we go after that. We have to get a final budget from the owner, weigh things up and decide if we can press for a player like him."

In two seasons in the A-League, Castro has scored 24 goals and produced nine assists in 50 matches.

Mariners breeze past Jets

The Spanish winger won the Johnny Warren Medal as the A-League's best player last season and has told Glory he will wait until deep into the off-season before deciding what to do in 2017-18.

The 34-year-old is on a marquee contract at Perth.

Castro may not be the only Glory player set to join a rival next season with ongoing speculation Melbourne Victory are chasing Rhys Williams, while the Jets are reportedly also keen on Mariners striker Roy O'Donovan.

 

Michael Huguenin