Darlington defender Dan Burn is looking forward to the challenge of breaking into the Fulham first team after securing a move to the Premier League club.

He will join the Cottagers in the summer after this week agreeing a deal that could earn Quakers over £1m if add-ons based on appearances are realised.

The transfer comes after the Blyth 18-year-old put in a string of impressive displays during only 19 appearances at the heart of Darlington's defence.

"I don't think it has really sunk in yet," he admitted.

"It probably won't until I'm down there and at my first day's training.

"My family are just ecstatic at the moment, everyone is really pleased for me. Everyone at the club has been great, but I still feel there's a job to finish here before I join up with Fulham in the summer, I'm still a Darlington player."

Burn will link-up with his new Fulham team-mates for the start of pre-season training, so he remains at The Northern Echo Arena for the remainder of this campaign.

He is currently sidelined by a knee injury, so Adam Quinn will be in the side that faces Hayes & Yeading today.

Burn has missed the last two games, including the home win over Bath City seven days ago, when he headed to Fulham for a medical.

He added: "It's amazing. The last few months have been crazy.

"I knew Fulham had been watching me from early on, I just had to keep my head down and keep doing all the right things and concentrate on my job.

"Then they approached the club and I was given permission to talk to them last week.

"I could just tell it was the club for me straight away. Everyone was really welcoming.

"I had a medical, when they did all sorts of tests, then they showed me around and introduced me to the players and staff.

"I spoke to the gaffer, Mark Hughes, and he wasn't what I expected. He was quietly-spoken and reserved.

"He just said the club were looking for good young English players and that he'd had me watched about ten times, so that was nice to hear.

"I've done the easy bit now, though.

"The hard work starts here and I need to prove myself to new people at Fulham, but I'm as determined to do that as I was of getting into the Darlington team. I'm looking forward to the challenge."

In moving to the Premier League Burn becomes the most successful graduate of the club's productive youth section.

Burn has been quick to thank the coach, Craig Liddle, who was also a Darlington defender, while the teenager was keen to go on record to praise manager Mark Cooper and the club's fans.

He said: "Everyone at the club have been great and I can't thank them enough.

"Lidds has been brilliant and the gaffer, they were texting and ringing me last week while I was down there, just making sure I was okay and I was being looked after.

"They've been really supportive and I thank them for that.

"I'd also like to thank the Darlington fans. I'll never forget last season, we were getting beaten every single week and getting relegated, and they just kept coming back week after week, supporting the club through thick and thin.

"They were brilliant then and they've been brilliant this season.

"They've supported me and I've had loads of messages of good luck about going to Fulham, which has been nice."