Newcastle Jets will not release Ante Covic to Sweden's Elfsborg until he pays compensation owed for enacting the Webster Law. Covic walked out on the Jets after Tuesday's Asian Champions League win against Ulsan Hyundai, terminating the final three months of his contract under what is known as the "Webster ruling".

"He disqualified his contract by walking out on the club, so he's got to pay from now until the end of June whatever money we were going to pay him," Jets owner Con Constantine told the Newcastle Herald.

"He's got to pay that back to the club.

"When that happens . . . we as a club, even if we paid the super, and the bonus that according to him we owe, which I don't believe is true, he's still got to pay us another 20 grand.

"He won't get a release until he pays that money."

Constantine was furious that Covic had criticised the club in several interviews since severing ties.

"He lost five or six games for us last year, and I never came out and said he's let down the club," Constantine said. "So he should respect the club, what we did for him."

He also said: "Isn't it amazing that someone like that can come out and accuse the club of all the dirty things in the world, knowing he let the club down, let his mates down . . . the bottom line is Ante Covic stands to give this club almost $20,000.

"The person who complained the most still owes the club $20,000. That's the bottom line."