UDPATED: FORMER England striker Emile Heskey has signed a one-year deal with the Newcastle Jets and is expected to arrive in Australia next week.

The deal is only subject to Heskey passing a medical, with Jets officials believed to view that as a formality.

It means that Alessandro Del Piero's home debut for Sydney FC will become an even bigger occasion as Newcastle will be the visitors to Allianz Stadium pitting two European stars against each other.

Heskey, the former Liverpool forward, who played in three World Cups, including two years ago in South Africa, left Aston Villa at the end of last season and has been looking for a new deal since.

Heskey earned 62 England caps and though he only scored seven goals, he was usually cast as the foil for a more prolific striker, such as Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney.

His strength and ability to hold the ball up will dovetail with the youth and energy of Gary van Egmond's squad.

His first appearance is expected to be against Adelaide United in the Jets' opening game of the A-League season.

The Jets are still declining to comment, citing the club's policy of "not speculating about player movement through the media".

Football Federation Australia has to sanction any marquee arrival but FFA sources have already confirmed this will be a formality.

The 34-year-old had been linked with moves to Stoke, Norwich and Spanish side Espanyol - and also an emotional return to Liverpool, where he won the FA Cup and UEFA Cup in a four-year spell.

But he recently insisted he was fit enough to play immediately for a new side. "I feel as fit and hungry as I have done in a long time and have been training everyday throughout the summer," Heskey said.

"As has been reported, I did receive a number of offers during the transfer window but didn't feel like any of them were the right opportunity for me at that time."

Meanwhile, Sydney are close to adding to their roster former Adelaide midfielder Paul Reid, who has apparently impressed sufficiently in an extended trial to earn a deal.

"We're not too far away now from getting something finalised," coach Ian Crook said yesterday. "In the short term, Terry Antonis and Hagi Gligor could be away with the (Australian) under-20s side.

"And Nicky (Carle) having gone, who I was thinking of playing there, it leaves us very bare. It's certainly something we're looking at."

Crook said should Jason Culina prove his fitness after nearly two years out with knee and leg injuries, Reid's signing would not preclude the former Socceroo from also adding to his midfield stocks.

"Jason's got that determination to come back," he said.

"If someone had said three months ago he'd be out there doing what he's doing, I'd have laughed at them. I don't know (how long his rehab will take). It's day by day. It could be two weeks, 10 weeks, 10 months."

Originally published as Heskey signs with Jets