CITY boss Phil Parkinson is targeting five new players before the start of the new season.

Following a raft of departures since the end of last term, the Bantams’ squad is in need of bolstering ahead of the big kick-off on August 9.

Parkinson has recruited Matty Dolan, Billy Knott, Gary Liddle, Alan Sheehan and Billy Clarke but he accepts that several more new faces are still needed.

James Meredith’s time at Valley Parade is almost certainly over after he failed to respond to the club’s offer of a new and improved deal, so Parkinson is seeking a back-up left back to Sheehan.

With question marks also hanging over the future of goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin, who has yet to sign the deal City have offered him, Parkinson could require two new stoppers.

The Bantams chief said: “The goalkeeping situation needs resolving. Jon is away at the moment and we obviously need two goalkeepers.

“I would like another player in at left back, so that’s three, and possibly another two on top of that – so it’s five players still to come in.

“But that might not be complete right up until the last week before the season starts.”

Last week also saw Kyel Reid confirm his departure from City and sign for Preston on a two-year deal following his recovery from a knee injury which sidelined him for the second half of last season.

Parkinson paid tribute to the winger but admitted not relocating his young family to West Yorkshire during his time at Bradford had caused problems.

“I had a chat with Kyel and the chairmen and we wanted to see him come back for pre-season and show us that he was over the knee injury,” explained Parkinson.

“More importantly for me, and I’d said this for the last few years, he’d had his girlfriend and little baby living down in London.

“Logistically, that had caused a few problems for him and I felt that I wanted him to be more settled in the area.

“That was almost as much an issue as the injury and he has signed for Preston, so I take it that they’re happy with his knee and his living situation.

“But Kyel had done great for us and I think sometimes as a player you need a fresh challenge.

“Sometimes it’s good for the manager and the coaches to bring new players in to stimulate everybody at the football club.

“If you look at the squad, we’re still short on numbers and wide positions are a particular area we need to improve on.”