FORMER Southend United midfielder Dru Yearwood is close to sealing a switch to the New York Red Bulls in a deal which could rise to £1.5million.

The 20-year-old came through the ranks at Roots Hall and made 62 senior appearances for the Shrimpers before joining Championship club Brentford in a £500,000 deal in August.

However, Yearwood has found it tough to secure regular first team football with the Bees and now looks to be going Stateside in a bid to sample more regular match action.

Yearwood has made just two substitute appearances for the Bees in the Championship this season while he has also made three starts in cup competitions.

Brentford are pushing hard for promotion into the Premier League and are currently third in the standings, just three points behind second placed West Bromwich Albion with three games to go.

However, Yearwood - who last played for Brentford in February - will not be part of the promotion push or any subsequent play-off campaign as he heads to New York.

The Red Bulls finished sixth in the Eastern Conference last season and the move will certainly spark interest at Roots Hall as the Shrimpers are believed to have a sell-on clause of around 20 per cent on for the midfielder who joined the club after leaving Arsenal.