With the Asian Champions League rapidly approaching, A-League cellar dwellers the Newcastle Jets face a battle to sign some quality players.

The FIFA transfer window closes on January 31 and the Jets are eager to sign some overseas quality to their books, mainly to compete in the ACL.

Last season's A-League premiers have had a catastrophic season in 2008/2009 and their only light at the end of the tunnel is representing Australian clubs in Asia.

But that job will be extremely difficult without key players joining the club according to coach Gary van Egmond.

"The ACL starts in eight weeks, but it is less with regards to recruitment,"van Egmond said.

"We have until the end of January.

"We have signed big Nikolai Topor-Stanley [from Perth], who will do a good job, but he is only one piece of the jigsaw puzzle. We are another five pieces out.

"We need to be very diligent with our recruiting and make sure we bring the right people in."