The Jets announced on Wednesday that Regan, who played in 66 A-League games for Newcastle between 2019 and 2015, had signed until the end of the season.

Newcastle's executive chairman Shane Mattiske appeared to rule out any more additions to the squad, saying: "There's 23 slots in that senior squad and we've got those slots all filled." He clarified that by adding the Jets were "always monitoring" the marketplace.

Speaking on Thursday, Papas suggested the Jets were keeping the chequebook handy, just in case.

"Who knows? We might do a bit more business if possible," Papas said.

"It's all about anticipating what that schedule is going to look like now, which is very different to what we would have thought when we first built a squad,."

Papas said a decade-long relationship with Regan prompted him to approach the 33-year-old about returning to the A-League, after several seasons playing in Malaysia.

"I worked with Taylor 10 years ago when I was at the Jets [as assistant coach] and built up a rapport with him," Papas said.

"He's had a career that's taken him to Asia as well, and obviously a lot of my experiences have been in Asia. When Aussies are in Asia, they sort of all somehow connect in bits and pieces.

"So there's been dialogue over the course of years now, and I knew he was back in Newcastle, so I reached out to him and said if he wanted to come and train, we'd see how he was moving and there might be a possibility of something."

Kosta Petratos' departure to Cyprus freed up a spot for the former Dudley-Redhead junior.

Papas said: "The fact that he [Regan] is a genuine born-and-bred Newcastle boy is extremely important."