HOME-grown defensive utility Pat Langlois has a month to prove to Jets coach Carl Robinson that he deserves a place in the squad next season.
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Langlois is among six players alongside Nigel Boogaard, Joe Ledley, Abdiel Arroyo, Kosta Petratos and Mickey Neil whose contract expires on Monday.
But rather than cut Langlois free, they have extended the 20-year-old's contract until the end of September to allow him to play for the Jets youth team in the NSW NPL 2 competition.
It will also give Robinson a chance to better assess Langlois, who did not play in the any of the final 10 A-League games.
The Jets youth team have five games remaining after which Langlois' contract will either continue or be mutually terminated.
"Carl and [assistant] Kenny Miller have seen Patty at training but want to have a look at him in games," Jets boss Lawrie McKinna said.
Langlois made six appearances under Ernie Merrick earlier in the season.
He started at the base of midfield and has also been been used as a fullback, centreback and makeshift striker.
"That's why Carl and Kenny want to have a look at him in the NPL," McKinna said. "Before they arrived, they saw that Patty was used in a variety of roles. He even played up front against Victory in the FFA Cup when he scored.
"Ernie saw him mainly as a holding midfielder. If you look at that area at the moment, we have Steve Ugarkovic, Gus Thurgate, Ben Kantarovski, Johnny Koutroumbis could slot in there, we are not sure what is happening with Joe Ledley yet .... there is quite a lot of cover."
Kosta Petratos and scholarship players Makis Petratos, Jack Simmons and Noah James are also playing for the youth team.
"Carl is getting very involved. He has met with Macca (youth team coach Daniel McBreen) and will be hands on," McKinna said. "He wants to see Patty play. When Carl came in, he brought in a couple of players and the other boys did really well. He changed the formation and they went well. You don'y fix something it's not broken. There wasn't any opportunity for Patty to show what he could do."
Kosta and Makis Petratos are also off contract, but Robinson has confirmed that they are in his plans.
Older sibling, Dimi flew out with his wife and two children to Saudia Arabia on Sunday to complete a rich move to Al-Wehda.
"They were heading to Dubai for a couple of days before going to Saudi Arabia for his medical," McKinna said. "It has taken longer to get him there because of COVID and a lack of flights. We are not anticipating any hiccups. It should be finalised by the end of the week."
Robinson indicated last week they there had also been overseas interest in Steve Ugarkovic, Angus Thurgate and Matt Millar, but McKinna said he had not been contacted.
McKinna is still awaiting details from FFA with regards to the club grants for next season, the salary cap and Collective Bargaining Agreement.
