THE Jets have wasted no time sourcing a replacement for midfielder Steven Ugarkovic, who has signed to join Western Sydney next season.
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Young Socceroos playmaker Luka Prso will join Newcastle on a loan deal from Croatian second-tier club NK Osijek II.
Prso grew up in Sydney before heading to Europe as a 14-year-old, spending time with the academies of Bayern Munich and Dinamo Zagreb and a trial period at Southampton.
Eligible to represent Australia, Croatia and Serbia, Prso told SBS last year: "Ever since I was little has been set on playing for my home country, which is Australia."
A source has described the 19-year-old as "a Ugarkovic-type player". It is understood he has already arrived back in Australia for a two-week quarantine period before he can link with his new teammates.
Jets coach Craig Deans was disappointed to be losing Ugarkovic, whom he said had provided "outstanding service" in his 119 A-League games for the Jets.
"Knowing him as a person, and his character as a footballer, his only concern at the moment will be that the Newcastle Jets win," Deans said.
