Deal set to make Heskey Jets' highest-paid player

Heskey has agreed to terms and, pending a successful medical, will earn $700,000 for the seven-month duration of the 2012-13 A-League season. His salary equates to $26,000 a game if he plays all 27 rounds.

The Herald revealed yesterday that Hunter Sports Group chief executive Troy Palmer and Jets chief executive Robbie Middleby had travelled to England to hold negotiations with the Premier League journeyman.

Job done, they were on their way back to Australia last night.

Heskey is expected to join them in Newcastle next week to  officially put pen to paper.

A free agent since he was released by English Premier League club Aston Villa in May, Heskey had been linked to a return to his former club Liverpool.

The Herald understands he knocked back a more lucrative deal, believed to be worth $1.2million a year, in the Middle East to move to Australia. 

The 34-year-old target man replaces Jason Culina as the Jets marquee player. He is the club’s seventh marquee after inaugural captain Ned Zelic, Ante Covic, Edmundo Zura, Fabio Vignaroli, Joel Griffiths and Michael Bridges. Former Brazilian superstar Mario Jardel and former English international Francis Jeffers played guest stints. Jeffers was later added to the roster.

Culina signed a three-year deal worth $2.65million in February last year but broke down in the pre-season after aggravating his surgically repaired knee and did not play a game.

After a drawn-out dispute, Culina and the Jets reached a settlement in June  by mutual agreement, the commercial terms of which remain confidential.

The former Socceroo is now training with Sydney FC.

Culina was to have collected $850,000 a year, but per month Heskey will earn more.

At the height of his career, Heskey made an £11million move in 2000 from Leicester to Liverpool, where he scored 60 goals in 223 games in all competitions.

He went on to play with Birmingham City, Wigan Athletic and  finally with Aston  Villa, with whom he played 28 games last season.

Though often maligned, he played for England at the 2002 and 2010 World Cups and the European Championships in 2000 and 2004.

In 62 appearances for his country he scored seven goals.

Coach Gary van Egmond said last month that the Jets were unlikely to fill the final place on their roster with a high-profile marquee player.

But the success of Sydney FC in recruiting Italian legend Alessandro Del Piero and the overwhelming response to his arrival  caused a rethink.

Heskey is likely to go head-to-head with Del Piero in round two at Allianz Stadium, which doubles as the former Juventus captain’s first home game.

The Jets open their A-League campaign against Adelaide United at Hunter Stadium on October 7.

 ●   Scottish midfielder Nick Montgomery has arrived on the Central Coast to begin his three-season stint with  the Mariners.

The 30-year-old, who signed the deal last month, joins the Mariners after spending his entire 12-year club career to date with English outfit Sheffield United.

Sheffield played in both the Premier League and Championship during that time.

‘‘I’d always thought about a change, and after being at one club for so long when the opportunity came up I spoke to the manager and the chairman at the Central Coast,’’ Montgomery said yesterday.

‘‘After I spoke to them there was only one place I wanted to come and that was here.

‘‘I did have other offers in the Championship in England but when the opportunity came up I spoke to my wife and we decided to go with it.’’

Last season’s minor premiers and grand finalists suffered key losses in captain and central defender Alex Wilkinson (Jeonbuk) and midfield young gun Mustafa Amini (Borussia Dortmund) in the off-season.

Coach Graham Arnold said Montgomery brought  much-needed experience to the side.

 ●    Melbourne Heart FC have signed promising 17-year-old winger Ben Garuccio, as coach John Aloisi gears up for the  season.

The Young Socceroos player is  one of Australia’s hottest properties at youth level.