Beijing Guoan must pay to keep Griffiths

Australian A-League club Newcastle Jets say Chinese Super League champions Beijing Guoan will have to pay one million dollars (908,000 US) to keep striker Joel Griffiths, reports said Friday.

Griffiths, 30, was Beijing's joint top scorer as they claimed their first Chinese title last month and reportedly want to keep him on their roster next season.

Media reports here said Beijing wanted to roll over an existing loan deal with the Jets for another year, an arrangement that would cost them $US300,000 ($A330,000) to keep the Australian.

But Newcastle Jets owner Con Constantine said another loan arrangement was out of the question.

"We made it clear when we loaned him that if they wanted to keep him after this season, they'd have to buy him," Constantine told The Sydney Morning Herald.

"If they want to keep him, they have to pay for him. Simple as that. If they don't want to pay the million dollars, then I'd rather have him back."

Constantine said he would talk with Griffiths this weekend about a possible return to Newcastle.

"The clubs over there (Asia) don't have a salary cap like we do. They're definitely not short of a dollar," he said.

"Joel's gone over there, he's scored nine goals, and his team has won the title. What more do they want?

"There's not going to be another loan deal, if they think it's too much, then I'm more than happy to have him back. To be honest, we could do with him."