Bradford City’s management decided to cut ways with manager Mark Hughes after he had been in command at Valley Parade for nearly a year and a half.
The experienced Welshman failed to guide the Bantams to the League Two play-offs last season, and he has been fired following a disappointing start to the 2023-24 season.
Whoever replaces Hughes at the West Yorkshire club will face some roster concerns, with City having a rather bloated squad in terms of numbers, with only 18 able to be nominated in a matchday squad.
Some of the current City squad may need to be loaned out. As a result, when the January transfer window opens at the beginning of 2024, consider THREE individuals who could profit from a brief leave.
Vadaine Oliver
Oliver, who scored 31 goals in two years for Gillingham, signed a three-year contract with Bradford in the summer of 2022.
With Bradford already having a large target man in Andy Cook, it was difficult to see how the two of them could fit in unless they were going to play beside each other.
That did not materialize, and with the majority of his 30 League Two appearances coming off the bench, Oliver only scored twice.
However, injuries have plagued the 31-year-old, who had to endure a knee operation late last season and then another to fix a groin problem during pre-season, resulting in the striker not being seen in the 2023-24 season.
Oliver has returned to the training pitch for running drills, but there’s no guarantee he’ll receive many minutes when he does, so there may be a need to let him play elsewhere – League Two clubs may be interested in providing him that opportunity.
Chapman, Harry
Chapman, a top League Two winger on his finest day, is another player who has struggled with injury.
Chapman, a former England youth international, played 37 times in all competitions for the Bantams last season in his debut season with the club, however he missed the play-off campaign due to hamstring surgery.
The 25-year-old is yet to appear this season while he recovers, but he was back in training a few weeks ago, and with the emergence of youngster Bobby Pointon out wide, Chapman may face a shortage of game-time when he returns.
A loan to another League Two club might either put Chapman on the market for the summer, or he may be granted a new contract ahead of time in order for him to be primed and ready for 2024-25 after such a long period out.
Dylan Youmbi
While Bobby Pointon has just made a name for himself for his boyhood club in League Two, Youmbi isn’t getting a look in.
The 19-year-old forward impressed in pre-season, but he has yet to appear in a League Two matchday squad, and he hasn’t even been given a chance in Bradford’s EFL Trophy campaign.
Because the transfer laws and restrictions are much more open under the EFL, the teenager may now go out on an excellent non-league loan, and it might happen before January, but National League and National League North clubs should be looking at Youmbi.
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