And he is unlikely to be the Knights only new mid-season recruit with club officials understood to be close to finalising a deal to bring controversial Brisbane Broncos prop Matt Lodge to Newcastle immediately.

Lodge's deal, with the Broncos picking half his $800,000-a-season salary, is expected to be signed off in the next week and could also see him arrive in time to take on the Eels at McDonald Jones Stadium on Old Boys' Day.

With only one spot remaining in their 30-man roster, the Knights will be forced to shed a player to bring both Clifford and Lodge in.

Just who that will be is unclear at this stage bit there is speculation surrounding the playing future of veteran playmaker Blake Green, who has struggled to recaptured his best after returning from a knee reconstruction.

Knights recruitment boss Clint Zammit refused to speculate about Lodge and his likely signing but did confirm a deal to bring Clifford to the club early is almost finalised.

"We had already signed Jake for the next two seasons and it's no secret after Mitch [Pearce] went down we were keen to get him here early if at all possible," Zammit told the Newcastle Herald.

"A few things had to fall into place for that to happen and they have so it's just a matter of finalising things now.

"The Cowboys want him to play for them next Friday night [against the Warriors] but he'll come down to Newcastle that weekend and have a full week of training leading into the game against Parramatta."

READ MORE:

Toohey's News: Lodge, Clifford and Mann signing news

The Cowboys are releasing Clifford to make room for their new halfback signing Tom Deardon, who has gained a release to leave the Broncos early.

The mid-season signings are timely for the Knights, who find themselves languishing in 12th position on the premiership ladder after just four wins this season, two points out of the top eight. They have lost seven of their last nine games and are desperate to turn around their fortunes. That won't be easy with a run of matches over the next three weeks that includes Manly, the Eels and South Sydney.

In a huge boost ahead of Sunday's clash against the red-hot Sea Eagles at home, they are likely to have injured duo Kalyn Ponga and Bradman Best back after they both missed the loss to the Cowboys. Pearce is eyeing a possible return against the Rabbitohs in round 14.

If the Knights do manage to finalise the Lodge signing as expected, they will do so against a back-drop of anger and resentment from some club's fans, many of whom took to social media over the weekend to denounce the move.

Some even suggested they will hand in their Knights memberships if the club goes ahead with his signing.

It follows his arrest and subsequent conviction on a reckless assault charge following a highly controversial incident inside a New York apartment building six years ago in 2015. Lodge has not put a foot wrong since signing with Brisbane in 2018.

IN NEWS TODAY:

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: