Bradford City have, as of this morning, announced the signing of Matty Platt on a two-year deal.

The 24-year-old arrives at Valley Parade on a free transfer with his deal at Barrow expiring at the end of this season.

The Bluebirds have finished 21st and 22nd in League Two since winning promotion from the National League under Ian Evatt in 2019/20.

They have gone through their fair share of managers in that time, with David Dunn, Michael Jolley, Rob Kelly, Mark Cooper and Phil Brown all having a crack in the last two seasons.

Mark Hughes was very pleased to get the deal for Platt over the line when he spoke to the club's website.

He said: "He is a strong defender with a great physical presence, but also a player comfortable on the ball and more than capable of playing out and fitting into the style we want to implement. 

"Having spent the past few years at Barrow, he has sound understanding and experience of playing at this level, as well as being a part of a promotion-winning side."

Promotion will certainly be the aim next season for the Bantams, just as it was this term, and there were some positive signs under Hughes towards the end of the campaign that will have given supporters reasons for optimism heading towards 2022/23.

The Verdict

 

 

Platt still has a lot of development ahead of him, at 23, and it feels like this is a signing to go with Hughes' style of play rather than the calibre of the player, which is a very encouraging move and a shrewd one at that on a free transfer.

Barrow have played a range of styles and systems since promotion to League Two, some working better than others, but that adversity and ever-changing environment, should stand Platt in good stead to settle into a more stable approach on the pitch at Bradford.

There is healthy competition for places at the heart of defence, suggesting that Platt could well have to bide his time to establish himself in the first team, but as far as the depth chart is concerned, this appears to be a very smart addition.