Michael Valkanis given Melbourne City job until end of season

Newcastle Jets have started their rebuilding, signing powerhouse Brisbane Roar attacker Dimi Petratos for next season.

Brisbane Roar’s Dimitri Petratos has signed a three-year deal with Newcastle.

Newcastle Jets have started their rebuilding phase, signing powerhouse Brisbane Roar attacker Dimi Petratos for next season. In what will be a blow for the Roar, Petratos has signed a three-year deal and will form a formidable attack that also includes Andrew Nabbout and Andrew Hoole.

Now in his fourth season with Brisbane, the 24-year-old has played 92 games for them and scored 14 goals. Prior to that he had three seasons at Sydney FC, playing 30 games and scoring five times.

Petratos has had a mixed season with the Queenslanders, though he was in the news recently with his stunning free kick in the 3-2 loss to Melbourne Victory two games ago being shown around the football world.

Interestingly, the Jets have also signed Petratos’s younger brother Kosta from Perth Glory.

The 18-year-old attacking midfielder played seven games as a substitute last season but has featured only twice this season, once in his starting debut against Melbourne Victory in round nine and as a substitute against the Jets a week later.

However, the Australian under-17s representative has not figured in the six games since.

Newcastle coach Mark Jones said he was excited to work with both players. “Dimitri will be a great asset to the club,” Jones said. “It is good that some of the best players in the country want to come and play for the Jets.

“Kosta is an emerging talent and I have always said that I’m keen to work with the best young kids in the country to develop them into A-League players and beyond.”

The signing of the brothers won’t be the end of the recruitment for the Jets with Jones indicating last week that fans can expect a number of new faces next week.

The Jets, who are under new ownership this season, are determined to become a force in Australian soccer again. They won the championship in the 2007-08 season but have missed out on the finals for the past six seasons.

Central Coast will free up a visa spot after captain Nick Montgomery officially becomes an Australian citizen today.

The English midfielder, his wife Josie and twin five-year-old daughters Leah and Chloe will take the pledge at a ceremony in Sydney today.

Montgomery has been with the Mariners since 2012 and has been an integral part of the club since then, playing a major role in their only championship success in 2013.

He made more than 400 appearances for Sheffield United, including a season in the English Premier League, before relocating his family to the Central Coast.

“This is a proud moment for me and my family,” Montgomery said. “We came here just over four years ago and after six months my wife’s home sickness went and we just realised what a fantastic place this is for families.

“To have young children and see them outdoors and enjoying life with all the activities Australia has to offer we said let’s get permanent residency — we now have so many good friends out here so it’s going to be a great moment when we are awarded Australian citizenship.”

Western Sydney have failed in a last-ditch attempt to sign ex-Socceroo Scott McDonald. It has been reported in the Scottish Sun that McDonald’s Scottish Premier League club, Motherwell, rejected the bid, declaring the striker was too important to the club to release.