[themaclad]

Bradford City have signed Norwich City defender Jonathan Tomkinson on a season-long loan deal.

The Bantams have received clearance from the Football Association that the deal was completed before the transfer deadline at 23:00 BST last Friday.

The 21-year-old American had a loan spell in League Two with Stevenage last season and made seven appearances as they won promotion.

He could make his debut in Saturday's home game against Grimsby Town.

[themaclad]

Bradford City player-caretaker Kevin McDonald is to step down following Tuesday's EFL Trophy tie with Manchester City Under-21s.

The League Two side have said first team coach Mark Trueman will assume the caretaker role for Saturday's FA Cup tie against Wycombe.

McDonald, 34, was put in charge when Mark Hughes was sacked and will return to focussing on playing.

He won his first three matches but they have lost their past two league games.

"Our search for a new manager is ongoing, and we are currently staging final interviews with candidates," chief executive officer Ryan Sparks told the club website.

"This is a very important appointment and, as with any decision of this magnitude, a great deal of due diligence has been undertaken."

[themaclad]

Bradford have recalled striker Jake Young from his loan spell with League Two rivals Swindon as his form demanded it, says Bantams boss Graham Alexander.

The 22-year-old's 16 goals make him the second-highest scorer in the division.

Young had been allowed out on loan by Alexander's predecessor Mark Hughes, and Alexander wants the forward to help propel the Bantams' promotion bid.

"I think we need good players, we need to have that competition," Alexander told BBC Radio Leeds.

"Jake did exceptionally well on loan at Swindon, we'd be fools not to recall him and see if he can get his way into our team and have the same form for us that he's had there.

"We've had attacking players scoring goals, the more good players who are motivated to win games the better."

[themaclad]

Bradford City have signed former Colchester and Kilmarnock goalkeeper Sam Walker on an 18-month deal.

Walker, 32, was a free agent after his short-term contract with League One Charlton Athletic came to an end.

He replaces Harry Lewis as the Bantams' number one after Lewis joined third tier Carlisle earlier on Thursday.

"It is a privilege to be able to pull on the shirt and I am here to help the team and the club get back to where it belongs," he told the club website.

[themaclad]

Bradford City have signed Plymouth Argyle forward Tyreik Wright on loan until the end of the season.

The 22-year-old spent the first half of last season on loan with the League Two side, before being recalled by parent side Aston Villa in January and being sold to Argyle.

He could feature in Saturday's Yorkshire derby with Doncaster.

"I played my best football here, and every game I played with a smile on my face," he told the club website.

[themaclad]

Bradford City have signed striker Calum Kavanagh from Championship club Middlesbrough on a two-and-a-half-year deal for an undisclosed fee.

The 20-year-old has played three first-team games for the Teessiders this term, after making his debut against Port Vale in the Carabao Cup.

Kavanagh has also played League Two football at Harrogate and at Newport, totalling three goals in 33 games.

"I am an energetic player," Kavanagh told the club website.

"I like to press, get in behind players and get in people's faces and ultimately score goals. I am here to win games.

"I am looking forward to getting on the grass and showing what I am about, doing really well in this league and for this club."

The son of former Republic of Ireland midfielder Graham, who also played for Boro, the forward will add to Bradford's options up front and help to fill the gap left by Vadaine Oliver's move to Stevenage.

"Calum is a player who will bring pace and energy to our forward line, and obviously a goal threat," boss Graham Alexander said.

"We feel he is at the stage now where he wants his career to kick-off. He is hungry to be successful, and I believe he will get the chance, here."

[themaclad]

Bradford City have offered a new deal to former Hearts winger Jamie Walker.

The 31-year-old joined the Bantams on a permanent deal in May 2022 after a successful loan spell and has scored 16 goals in a total of 73 league appearances.

Goalkeeper and goalkeeping coach Colin Doyle, 38, and defender Matty Platt, 26, have also been offered new deals.

The League Two side have released 11 players after finishing ninth this season.

Dylan Youmbi, Finn Cousin-Dawson, Harry Chapman, Harvey Rowe, Heath Richardson, Isaac Robinson, Liam Ridehalgh, Luke Hendrie, Matt Derbyshire, Noah Wadsworth and Sam Bentley have all been released.

Defender Brad Halliday and midfielder Bobby Pointon have both had their contract extensions triggered.

[themaclad]

Winger Jamie Walker will remain with Bradford City for another year after the League Two club took up the option to extend his stay until the summer of 2025.

The 30-year-old, who initially joined the club on loan from Hearts in January 2022, has made 82 appearances and scored 18 goals for the Bantams.

He netted nine goals and featured 36 times during an injury-hit 2023-24 campaign.

“It was so frustrating not having him available for such a significant period, but when he was fit I really enjoyed seeing what he brought to our team," Bradford boss Graham Alexander told the club website.

[themaclad]

Bradford City have signed Stockport County midfielder Antoni Sarcevic on a two-year deal.

The 32-year-old scored eight goals in 37 appearances for the Hatters this season as they won the League Two title.

That gave Sarcevic his fifth promotion from the fourth tier, having gone up twice with Plymouth Argyle and once apiece with Fleetwood Town and Bolton Wanderers.

“I have worked with the gaffer before and, along with the size and stature of the club, it was a no brainer for me," he told the club website., external

"This club needs to start getting up the leagues again, and this year is paramount in doing that.

“I have been there and done it and got out of this league many times."

[themaclad]

Bradford City have signed Stockport County defender Neill Byrne for an undisclosed fee on a two-year deal.

The 31-year-old made 22 appearances as the Hatters won the League Two title this season.

Byrne is the second Stockport player to join the Bantams this season after midfielder Antoni Sarcevic signed a two-year deal on Friday.

"The key is to maintain that momentum that Bradford ended the season with going into next season and just keep kicking on with good standards," he told the club website, external.

Bradford finished the season ninth in the League Two table.