Former Sydney FC utility Ruben Zadkovich is poised to snub A-League champions Newcastle Jets and return to England to join Crystal Palace.

The 21-year-old Olyroo has been on the market since parting ways with Sydney at the end of last season, and had been expected to join the Jets after agreeing terms last month. However, Zadkovich and Sydney reached mutual agreement to terminate his contract early – he was contracted until June – so he could try his luck overseas, and he has spent the past fortnight on trial at Selhurst Park.

Last week, Palace manager Neil Warnock is believed to have tabled a two-year deal, although personal terms have yet to be agreed. One source claimed Zadkovich wants to double the wages he has been offered.

Zadkovich spent two seasons in England as a teenager, first with Queens Park Rangers then with Notts County, before returning home to join Sydney on the eve of the inaugural A-League season in 2005. He has made 42 appearances for the club over the past three seasons, but never cemented a regular first-team spot, and his relationship with coach John Kosmina strained towards the end of last season.

Nonetheless, Sydney will be claiming a development fee if the transfer goes through. Sydney FC have also given Olyroos skipper Mark Milligan permission to train overseas – it’s believed he is in England – but have yet to release him from the final three months of his contract.

Newcastle coach Gary van Egmond has yet to concede he’s lost the fight for Zadkovich’s signature, but admits: “If he’s got a good deal overseas, there’s not much we can do about it.”

The Jets received some positive news yesterday when they trumped Sydney FC for talented young striker Jason Naidovski, who has scored eight goals for the AIS in the Victorian Premier League this season. Naidovski, 18, has agreed terms for a two-year deal with Newcastle.

The signing continues the Jets’ emphasis on youth – their three most recent recruits, Song Jin-hyung, Ben Kantarovski and James Holland, are all 20 years or under. But van Egmond has no concerns about fielding a youthful team next season, saying: “The chairman [Con Constantine] is on record as saying we won’t be using service agreements, so that means in a lot of cases we can’t pay what established players are getting elsewhere. But having a young side doesn’t worry me – these guys are hungry to improve, they have their careers in front of them and they want to succeed.”

The Jets have also been heavily linked to another rising star, Melbourne Victory midfielder Kaz Patafta, but to balance the ledger, director of football Remo Nogarotto hopes to sign two established imports – one based in Italy and another in Switzerland – while the club has also had talks with two fringe Socceroos defenders – Adrian Madaschi, who has spent the past eight years in the Italian lower leagues, and Ljubo Milicevic, who is on the market after terminating his contract with Melbourne Victory.

SMH