The Jets announced yesterday that they had ‘‘mutually agreed’’ to terminate the 21-year-old striker’s contract, less than halfway through his two-year tenure.

Payne was quoted in a statement issued by the club yesterday, but his representative, Mike Roth, declined to comment, presumably under the terms of Payne’s payout.

The club said there would be ‘‘no further comment’’ from the Jets or Payne.

‘‘I am disappointed that due to a change in circumstances at Newcastle that my time at the club has been cut short and has not worked out the way that I planned,” Payne said in the statement.

“I want to wish the rest of the boys in the squad all the best, and I will now look to further my career at a new club and achieve my goals as I have a lot of ambition and can hopefully fulfil it with a new team.’’

Jets chief executive Robbie Middleby said: ‘‘We wish Chris all the best in his future career and will continue to assist him to find another club.’’

Payne was signed to a lucrative deal by former coach Branko Culina from the now-defunct North Queensland Fury but did not feature in the plans of Culina’s replacement, Gary van Egmond.

Despite being the leading scorer in the Jets’ youth team with nine goals in seven games, it was not until mid-December Payne was called into van Egmond’s squad for a game against Sydney.

At the time, the coach said Payne had been ‘‘rewarded’’ for good form.

Payne came off the bench in the 81st minute of a 2-1 loss but has not been seen since at A-League level.

Two weeks later, van Egmond said Payne was not being considered for selection because he was ‘‘not good enough’’.

In a subsequent interview with the Herald, the coach said Payne did not fit into his preferred playing style.

‘‘He is a good player, but maybe he was brought here more so because Branko Culina played mainly a 4-4-2,’’ van Egmond said.

‘‘He could do with a player next to him. That could improve him as far as the style of play.

‘‘Again they are decisions you have to make as a coach and right at this moment we have better options.’’

Just in case Payne did not get the message, he was omitted from Newcastle’s youth side for the past two games.

A national under-20 and under-23 representative, Payne scored four goals in 21 A-League games for North Queensland and three times for Sydney in 19 games.