Huddersfield Town have confirmed the signing of Southend United’s attacking midfielder Jack Payne on a three-year contract.
The highly-rated 21-year-old will move North after making 88 appearances and scoring 17 goals for the Essex club.
Town, who have beaten off competition for his signature, and Southend remain in talks over a fee for the 5ft 5in player who looks set to fill the No10 role.
Payne is out of contract, but because he is under 24 and has been offered a new deal, the Roots Hall club are due compensation.
Town have the option of adding a further year to his contract in 2019.
The Londoner who was Southend’s Player of the Season for 2015/16 becomes Town’s second new midfielder after Croatian Ivan Paurevic, and their sixth summer signing so far.
Oldham keeper Joel Coleman, German defenders Chris Lowe and Michael Hefele and Wolves forward Rajiv van La Parra are the others.
Payne, from Tower Hamlets, was on the books of Tottenham Hotspur while at school but joined Southend at Under 15 level.
His first-team debut came in the home Capital One Cup first-round defeat by Yeovil Town in August 2013.
He helped Southend win promotion from League II through the play-offs that season.
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Town head coach David Wagner said: “It’s great that we’ve been able to bring a player like Jack to Huddersfield, as many clubs were understandably interested in him.
“In my opinion he is probably one of the most interesting young British midfielders in the country and I am proud that we will have the chance to help him to develop his potential to his highest level in the future.
“Quality ‘number 10s’ are, in my opinion, the hardest players to find and it is not regular that players of Jack’s quality become available.
“Jack is already excellent technically and has a great record of scoring goals, but at just 21 he has lots of room to develop further.
“His desire to improve was very clear from our very first meeting and he will do that with us in the Championship.
“We will work hard with him in pre-season as he comes to understand our ideas and style on the pitch and I am sure he will be a big part of what we do in the coming season.”
