While the identity of that group is unknown, it’s understood it has no ties to the Melbourne-based investment firm, Skyjade Capital, which was close to purchasing the Jets’ licence in 2018. The Chinese-linked firm had reached an agreement in principle but a deal stumbled at the final hurdle.

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The club has been without an owner since January 2021, when Chinese-based businessman Martin Lee had his A-League licence revoked after failing to make payments. Due to financial constraints in his homeland and difficulty getting money to Australia, he had not financially contributed to the club’s operational costs for a year prior to losing his licence. Lee had purchased the club for $5.5 million in 2016 but had put it up for sale by 2019, having reportedly tipped in more than $15 million throughout his ownership.

The owners of Western Sydney Wanderers, Sydney FC and Western United have kept the Jets alive since Lee’s removal as chair, replacing him with former NRL boss Shane Mattiske as the Jets’ executive chairman.

Should the Jets be sold, it’s expected the licence fee will be split between the owners of the clubs that have propped them up and alleviate mounting financial pressure on the APL that has built as the Omicron variant forced mass postponements of matches this season in the men’s and women’s A-League.

Newcastle could be the second A-Leagues club to change ownership this year, with Adelaide United also on the cusp being sold to property developer Ross Pelligra, who was behind South Melbourne’s last bid for A-League expansion.