Two players that might prevent six-figure transfer costs for Bradford City
Bradford City might save six figures by starting their next campaign with first-year players.
After Sam Walker as the starting goalie for the 2024–2025 EFL League Two season, Zac Hadi may be the backup.
In the event that other attackers leave the squad, young goal scorer Harry Ibbitson may gain from playing in the first team the next season.
When Bradford City has a young, gifted player on its books, a major league team usually jumps all over them before they can even kick a ball for the first squad.
A number of players, notably Sahil Bashir (Brighton), Alfie Bradshaw (Nottingham Forest), Darryl Ombang (Leeds United), Alvin Ayman (Wolves), and Max Ruddock (Wolves), have recently left the Bantams at an early age.
Even though these players haven’t made it into the starting lineup at their clubs, there is still hope for a few Bradford first-year pros who will be hoping that, like Bobby Pointon, who has improved steadily since making the Valley Parade first team, the upcoming season will be their breakout year where they can show off their skills.\
Let’s examine how these two gifted football players may help the team avoid paying transfer costs if they are able to establish themselves in the starting lineup the next year.
Zac Posey
Some Bradford supporters may be familiar with the name Zac Hadi because manager Graham Alexander has utilized the towering goalkeeper to assist during warm-ups on matchdays prior to kickoff, giving supporters who arrive early at the turnstiles a chance to see the talented goalkeeper and his skills in between the sticks.
After making an impression on the team during the January transfer window last season, Sam Walker is sure to be the team’s top goalkeeper for the upcoming campaign.
Given that the only goalkeepers currently on the roster are Hadi, Walker, and goalkeeper coach Colin Doyle, Hadi will undoubtedly be the backup choice at season’s end. He might even play in events like the EFL Trophy, which would provide the young player with much-needed men’s football playing time.
The Bantams will undoubtedly save money on salary and transfer costs by trusting the 18-year-old goalie, because the team already has three keepers on its roster.
Even though the present team has a lot of offensive alternatives, players like Tyler Smith and Vadaine Oliver may decide to depart the organization in pursuit of more first-team opportunity this summer.
In addition, Ibbitson may be one of the top three options for the team’s starting striker position with one up front should Jake Young’s injury problems persist into the upcoming season. He might even have a better chance of playing time if manager Alexander decides to start with a front two.
Supporters undoubtedly want to see what Ibbitson can achieve in his first season, and by depending on the youthful goal scorer as a striking option, the team may be able to save money on transfer expenses.