Ljubo Milicevic's dream of again competing in the UEFA Champions League is his motivating factor for looking to head back to Europe.

The Newcastle Jets defender experienced the highs of playing in Europe's, if not the world's, premier club competition when he was in Switzerland with FC Thun in the 2005/06 season and now wants to again challenge himself.

Milicevic will leave the Jets for Europe at the end of the current A-League season and admits it is his last chance to play at the top level.

"I rejected a lot of money to not stay there, I had to give up my contract to leave, basically, and my signing-on fee and so forth, but I'm the type of bloke who leads from his heart," he told AAP.

"If my heart's not in it, I can't fake it.

"Now, after three years in Australia, I'm just like, you know what, it's unfinished over there and I really want to go back and see how far I can go again.

"If I can do what I did before, maybe play Champions League, then I've achieved a dream again.

"I'm 29, I'm at the peak of my game. I'm both mentally fresh and focused and physically still great so if I don't go now mate, then when am I going to go next?

"My beautiful girlfriend Iskra said that she'd come with me so I won't be lonely anymore and it makes things easier."