O´Donovan leaving Jets after contract talks break down

Roy O’Donovan has played his last game for Newcastle Jets after the A-League club withdrew their contract offer for the striker.

O’Donovan, 33, had been expected to re-sign with the Jets, but negotiations broke down and Newcastle said on Monday they withdrew their offer.

The former Sunderland striker has scored 39 goals in 80 A-League games since arriving in Australia with the Central Coast Mariners in 2015.

“We made a number of generous offers to Roy and his management,” Jets chief executive Lawrie McKinna said in a statement.

“Talks began [about re-signing] midway through the season, with serious discussions beginning about two months ago.”

The Newcastle Jets confirm that Roy O’Donovan will depart the Club, following the withdrawal of his contract offer #MadeOfNewcastle
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https://t.co/zugHY1IpsJ pic.twitter.com/ZGdVjw4j2r

— NEWCASTLE JETS FC  (@NewcastleJetsFC) May 6, 2019

McKinna said the Jets “did everything within reason” to keep O’Donovan, who joined the club in 2017.

O’Donovan scored nine goals in 16 league games last season before being suspended for 10 matches following a reckless challenge on Victory goalkeeper Lawrence Thomas in the 2018 Grand Final.

He returned to net 11 in 19 this campaign as the Jets finished in a disappointing seventh in the table.