NEWCASTLE coach Arthur Papas is confident that Georgian under-21 international Beka Dartsmelia will add a new dimension to the Jets' set piece.
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The Jets confirmed on Tuesday that Dartsmelia had signed a two-year deal and the 22-year-old is expected to join the group next week.
"We're pleased to have signed a player of Beka's quality," Papas said in a statement. "He has captained the Georgia under-21's team as well as his club side in Georgia.
"He's a left-footed player who is a specialist on set-pieces as well as being very creative in the final third."
Darstmelia has followed a similar career path to Jets striker and golden-boot winner Beka Mikeltadze.
Both represented Georgia at under-17, -19 and -21 levels and burst on to the scene at powerhouse club Dinamo Tbilisi.
Dartsmelia spent last season at Georgian top tier club FC Locomotive, where he scored three goals and provided five assists but was unable to prevent the struggling outfit from relegation.
The attacking midfielder is the Jets' fourth foreigner alongside Mikeltadze, former English Premier League star Carl Jenkinson and Kiwi James McGarry and takes the squad to 23. Unless a player is loaned out or moved on, the roster is full.
James Gardiner
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
