TWTD understands that Town are continuing to pursue their interest in Southend United midfielder Jack Payne.

A report yesterday claimed Huddersfield were the close to landing the highly-rated 21-year-old but we understand the Blues are also still very much in the hunt with manager Mick McCarthy keen to add goals to his midfield.

Wolves and Dutch side Sparta Rotterdam have also been linked with Payne, who will be out of contract at the end of the season and seems certain to leave Roots Hall having failed to agree new terms, while Bristol City and Millwall are also interested.

As Payne is under 24 years of age Southend would be due compensation from his new club, a figure either agreed between the sides or by a tribunal. According to the Southend Echo, Huddersfield and Sparta are the only ones to have contacted the Shrimpers so far, although sides can speak to the player without having sought permission from his current club.

In March, TWTD reported that Town boss McCarthy was spotted at Roots Hall watching the League One game between Southend and Crewe Alexandra in which Payne scored a last-minute penalty as the sides drew 1-1.

The 5ft 5in tall attacking midfielder was released by Tottenham as a schoolboy and subsequently joined the Shrimpers.

Having come through the Essex club’s youth system Payne, who can play centrally, wide or up front, broke into the senior side at the start of the 2013/14 season.

Since then the Londoner has gone on to make 52 starts and 35 sub appearances, scoring 17 goals, nine of them during 2015/16.

Meanwhile, Town keeper Bartosz Bialkowski played the second half of former Blue Kelvin Davis’s testimonial at his old club Southampton last night.

Bialkowski replaced Davis, 38, at half-time for a Saints Promotions XI, which also included former Town left-back Dan Harding and ex-Blues loanee Richard Chaplow, as they lost 5-4 to a current Southampton team.

Elsewhere, Blues midfielder or striker Monty Patterson is currently in action for New Zealand in a warm-up game ahead of the Oceania Nations Cup against Western Pride in Ipswich, Queensland. The 19-year-old netted a freekick in the ninth minute.

Photo: Action Images

LFBNITFC12 added 11:49 - May 18 Wow, an attacking midfielder! Good start to the window....
1

runaround added 12:42 - May 18 Sounds like he would be a good addition. Here's hoping
1

sidtheswan added 13:10 - May 18 Very good prospect
1

BlueandTruesince82 added 13:32 - May 18 Roofe, massively worth a go for me. I'd welcome Payne too although know v little about him
1

bigautographs added 13:51 - May 18 young, scores goals.. take a gamble! hopefully he isnt a payne!
1

jpring89 added 13:58 - May 18 Would be disappointed if we couldn't persuade this guy to join our club seeing we only seem to be up against huddersfield. This lad seems to tick all the right boxes
1

busterjames added 14:03 - May 18 Agree with paulcooperisgod ,Would love to see alex gilbey ,not sure on moncure
0

SheptonMalletBlue added 14:12 - May 18 can he LAUNCH IT?!!!!!!!!!
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SheptonMalletBlue added 14:14 - May 18 Until Mcarthy changes the way his team plays it doesn't matter who he signs, even Messi!!!!!!
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RegencyBlue added 14:36 - May 18 If this happens it looks as if it will cost us a fee of some sort so an early test for our owners recently expressed willingness to start paying fees again. Don't know much about him personally but Payne sounds exactly the sort of player we should be going for - lets just hope we don't miss out because of finance once again.
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hoppy added 15:12 - May 18 BlueandTruesince82, if Mick managed to get Roofe, and Payne, in this window, that would look to be a good bit of building...
3

TR11BLU added 15:37 - May 18 We are unlikely to be successful here as Dino couldnt guarantee him a start. Rather he would be well down the pecking order: Skuse, Douglas, Hyam, Bru, Foley, AN Other Irish ex Wolves out of contract hoofer who we will no doubt soon bring in.
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jabberjackson added 15:54 - May 18 I know nothing about this lad... However, his arms look way too short for the Championship
1

cowboynickblue added 16:47 - May 18 Sign him up. Good player when I've seen him play. Wouldn't cost much if it didn't work out.
1

NoCanariesAllowed added 17:00 - May 18 Well things didn't go too badly the last time we paid compensation to land a highly-rated 21-year-old whose contract was running out at a League One club... (Cressy, if you were wondering!)
2

jas0999 added 17:15 - May 18 We desperately need to sign an attack minded goal scoring central player. Bru although unlucky with injuries and also out of position at times, hasn't really demonstrated he is that consistent player. Whether we will spend with a fee remains to be seen. Sadly, last years cheaper signings like Coke and Toure weren't good enough, so a player with proven quality is just what we are after .... In my opinion anyway.

1

wayway added 17:33 - May 18 He would have to meet the Evans PLC criteria, we only pay the minium wage of £7.20 per hour
0

Cloddyseedbed added 17:52 - May 18 Just tell us when we sign someone and don't wait until only other club cast-offs are left. Never a good idea to broadcast who we are after until it's all signed up, it only alerts other clubs and just puts the cost of the deal up, either in fee's or wages. About time we showed our intensions and went out and signed a player that is a star in someones team, rather than a player who can't get in his clubs team. We have too many of them already at our club!

1

Seasider added 18:00 - May 18 From his stature,and from what I have heard,seems more like a Jonny Williams/Ryan Fraser type of player;but as I havn't seen him play I defer to the other Essex Boys on here who have.
2

prebbs007 added 18:11 - May 18 We should indeed be looking at this type of signing !!! But not this guy. Two of my work colleagues are SUFC season ticket holders and go home & away and they tell me he is nowhere near championship standard. He is young so could become a better player if he steps up a grade but both of them say he does not even command a place in Southend team and they would never pick him above Noel Hunt. I admire the fact we are looking at improving our squad but this is not an improvement. We need so much more than a Southend reserve. Keep trying dinosaur !!!

1

runningout added 20:27 - May 18 don't know anything about Payne, like a few of you that are saying he is what we need... if you haven't been watching him don't guess...
1

BrettenhamBlue added 06:02 - May 19 TRU11BLU Noel Hunt and Stephen Hunt are both available again.
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BrettenhamBlue added 07:10 - May 19 Hear Ian Harte may be coming out of retirement. Left back anyone?
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essexboy added 08:23 - May 19 Runningout,sorry,I down marked you by mistake.It should have been a plus.My opologise's
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GiveusaWave added 10:02 - May 19 How can a story about us trying to sign a young creative midfielder turn into so much negativity ?Payne is (hopefully) going to be the first of many new signings this year. And why the constant references to Coke? I'd acknowledge that he's not been good so far but he's our player and we need to stick with him as he could be a key player next season. Kicking someone's confidence when they are already down isn't helpful. If you had a poor few months at work would you want everyone to go on and on about it or would you like a fresh chance? Give the guy a chance. And I am sure we can match Huddersfield for wages.

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