NEWCASTLE Jets have found the final piece to the puzzle with Brazilian striker Jair Eduardo Britto da Silva set to put pen to paper on a one-year deal on Monday.
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The 30-year-old arrived in Newcastle on Sunday accompanied by his wife and two young girls and, pending a medical, will join the A-League.
The Jets are in needed of strike power, with Roy O’Donovan suspended until round eight and exciting prospect Joe Champness (foot) sidelined until at least January.
The pair along with Andrew Nabbout, who left mid last season for Japan, supplied half of the Jets goals last season.
Jair, who speaks English, has spent the past month in his homeland after being released by Chinese club Yanbian Funde.
Before moving to China, he had two productive seasons in the K-League at Jeonnam Dragons, netting 26 goals in 55 games.
He has been following a Jets training program for the past two weeks, while awaiting a visa, and will do a medical Monday morning before meeting his new teammates.
Born in Pelotas, Jair was a regular goal-scorer in the Serie C and Serie B in Brazil before heading to Korean club Jeju United in 2011, where he scored 20 goals in 55 appearances over two seasons. Stints in Japan and the United Arab Emirates followed before he returned to Korea.
As well as a foreign striker, the Jets are in the market for an Australian attacker and a second goalkeeper. Former Melbourne Victory flyer Mitch Austin has trained with the club for a three weeks and appears likely to be offered a deal.
Wellington Phoenix back-up keeper Lewis Italiano and Bentleigh Greens shot-stopper Ryan Scott trained with the jets last week. Italiano, who has no other commitments, will train with the club this week.
