Sutton United striker Stefan Payne’s projected move to Premier League Fulham hangs on the result of an MRI scan scheduled to take place later today.

The 18-year-old, a summer signing from Croydon FC, yesterday denied he had completed a £25,000 move to Craven Cottage after rumours of the deal surfaced over the weekend.

Boss Paul Doswell has been working on the transfer - alongwith club chairman Bruce Elliott - for the last fortnight since the youngster netted his sixth goal of the campaign against Wealdstone last month.

Payne, who will be loaned back to Sutton until January under the terms of the agreement, was at Fulham’s training ground for a second medical yesterday and has been ordered back for further tests with a view to signing for the Premier League outfit on Wednesday.

“Fulham tend to do more than just a straight medical. The deal is all agreed, it is just a case of Stefan getting through the tests,” said Doswell.

“As with all these things everything has got to be right for the player and the clubs concerned.”

Sutton could land a hefty six-figure sum should Payne complete the move and go on to establish himself in Roy Hodgson’s first team.

But they are not holding their breath after former Hampton & Richmond Borough striker Ben Wright’s proposed move to Craven Cottage stalled on the outcome of a medical before he eventually signed for Peterborough United.

Although Doswell was keen to stress the interest alone proves young players can get their professional career on track at Gander Green Lane - including former starlet Jerson Dos Santos.

“Because of our close proximity to London we often get a lot of scouts coming to our games and since the Wealdstone game all I have dealt with is phone calls ringing about Stefan,” he added.

“We have changed our strategy in terms of signing young players and we are giving players opportunities at a decent level of football.

“There are not many clubs at this level who would stick a 17-year-old in to the first team and that is what we are about.

“If I could get hold of Jerson now I could turn his career around. People do watch this level and are ready to take a punt on non-league players.”