Championship side Barnsley are lining up a move to sign Swindon Town’s creative midfielder Jack Payne, according to reports.

With the Robins in turmoil off the pitch, it is likely the Tykes see this as an opportunity to bag a player who has not lived up to his potential since leaving Huddersfield.

Barnsley are known for picking up players in League One and Two and this could be another signing they hope to develop and improve. Payne has probably been one of Swindon’s more consistent performers this season, but they have struggled and currently sit in the relegation zone.

According to Alan Nixon, the Championship club want to sign Payne with a ‘bargain bid’. The 26-year-old has one year left on his current deal after agreeing a two-year contract last summer.

Payne looked a player of huge potential when he joined Oxford United on loan in 2017. Following a string of impressive displays, he was recalled by parent club Huddersfield before joining Blackburn, also on loan, helping them win promotion from the third tier.

He couldn’t recapture that form at Bradford City despite scoring nine goals in 39 league appearances for the Bantams. He joined Lincoln City after impressing Danny Cowley but was allowed to sign for Swindon last summer after Michael Appleton reshaped his Imps squad.

It has been a tough season for the Wiltshire club, with off the field court proceedings making the headlines in recent days due to third-party ownership issues.

On the field, their 3-0 defeat at home to Peterborough leaves them two points from safety having played a game more than AFC Wimbledon who sit just outside the drop zone. The Robins travel to bottom side Rochdale on Tuesday in a game which Dale must realistically win in order to avoid the drop.