Richie Foran has scored 14 goals this season
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Southend have signed Irish forward Richie Foran from Motherwell in a £150,000 deal.
The 26-year-old has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the English Championship strugglers.
Motherwell manager Maurice Malpas told BBC Sport: "I'm disappointed to lose the player, but he wants to return south and I can't stand in his way."
Foran has been in form this season, scoring 14 goals from midfield for the Scottish Premier League club.
He had joined Well after leaving Carlisle United in 2004, having started his career with Shelbourne.
"We think the fee is a decent return for the player and he thinks it is a decent return for himself," said Malpas, who had rejected a couple of previous offers from Southend.
"Richie appreciates his time at the club as it has been good for him.
"He knows we took a risk signing him and during his time here everyone has gained out of it.
"In an ideal world, we wouldn't have wanted to have let him go, but he had hinted he wasn't going to sign on again after we had offered him a new deal."
The Fir Park side will receive an additional £50,000 if Southend, second bottom of the Championship, avoid relegation.
Motherwell signed Krisztian Vadocz on loan from Auxerre as midfield cover.
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