Smeltz scored 19 times last season on his way to the A-League's prized award but left Australian football to try his luck overseas once again, signing for Gencerbirligi in Turkey's Superlig for just $300,000.

But since then his playing opportunities have been restricted to just four games for one goal.

Now Gold Coast are on the brink of unveiling him as a guest star to boost their finals chances and give their struggling shooting stocks a boost.

"Shane will be joining us," owner Clive Palmer told the Gold Coast Bulletin. "We know he hasn't played that much and we don't know what his form is going to be like.

"But if he's anything like the player who left us then we are in for a treat. He's coming back as a marquee signing until the end of the season, which means he'll be here for the finals.

"He wants to come back and we want to have him back."

Gold Coast are also close to finalising the deal for German midfielder Peter Perchtold to join the club as a replacement for Jason Culina on a guest star stint while the Socceroo is at the Asian Cup.

"We're hopeful it will all go through imminently," added Palmer.

Meanwhile Newcastle Jets are sweating on the paperwork for newly-signed Ryan Griffiths to come through in time for today's clash with Sydney FC.

Their rivals for this afternoon's match were given clearance yesterday for new Sydney signing, Finnish striker Juho Makela, to take part in the game, but Griffiths's transfer from China has still to be rubberstamped.