Elliott Whitehead’s defection to Catalan Dragons was confirmed last night after the Bulls finally agreed a fee for his services with the French club.

The 23-year-old’s career at the Provident Stadium was effectively over when he handed in a transfer request and informed Francis Cummins he wanted to leave his home-town club.

Shortly before the trip to Hull KR on June 2, Whitehead told the Bulls coach he did not feel the club had made the progress he had anticipated and wished to join a “top-four club”.

Although Salford had a bid for his services accepted earlier this week, Whitehead made it clear he had no intention of joining the struggling City Reds, leaving Catalan as front-runners for his signature.

A transfer tieing Whitehead to the Dragons until the end of 2015 was reached late last night, with Catalan chief executive Christophe Jouffret revealing he agreed terms with Whitehead last weekend, only for the protracted negotiations to delay the deal.

The fee has not been revealed for a player who was under contract to the Bulls until the end of 2016.

Jouffret said: “The discussions with the Bulls were really longer than those with the player, who gave us his agreement when I met him last weekend.”

Whitehead will feel at home in Perpignan as former Bradford players Leon Pryce, Ian Henderson, Steve Menzies and Olivier Elima ply their trade with Laurent Frayssinous’ side.

Whitehead, whose last game for the Bulls was the defeat at Craven Park almost three weeks ago, will bolster a Catalan squad currently hit by injuries.

Joufrret said: “We have many players sidelined for a long-term period and we considered the option to sign a short-term player until the end of the season.

“But the opportunity to sign Elliott on a two-and-a-half-year deal was more interesting for the club.”

Frayssinous added: “It’s really good news for the end of the season because Elliott will bring enthusiasm and competition into the squad – but also for the future because he is a young, quality player.

“Elliott is a Super League rising star. He shares our project and our ambitions and his determination to join the club strengthened our choice to sign him.”

Bulls general manager Ryan Whitcut said: “Elliott made it clear that he did not wish to play for Bradford Bulls any longer.

“We are very happy with the outcome to the negotiations with Catalan and wish Elliott all the best for his future career.”

Danny Addy is also being linked with a move to Wakefield and his agent is understood to have held talks with Wildcats boss Richard Agar.

Addy is out of contract at the end of the year and has not accepted the offer put to him by the Bulls.

The Bulls, meanwhile, are boosted by the return of Manase Manuokafoa and Adrian Purtell for tomorrow’s pivotal home clash with Widnes.

Chev Walker and Jarrod Sammut remain sidelined but Jamie Foster, although absent again this weekend, is hopeful of being passed fit for next Sunday’s visit of Warrington.

Cummins is keen for his side to get their play-off bid back on track after six defeats in their last seven matches.

“People talk about habits – winning and losing – and you could see the tension in the last few weeks,” said the Bulls boss.

“We have got ourselves in positions and then we come up with silly errors.

“I know that no-one means to do it but that’s what’s been happening. We need to relax and be confident in doing your job and playing well for the team.”

Six of the Bulls’ remaining nine matches are on home soil and Cummins recognises the importance of victory tomorrow.

The Bradford coach, who gave his players four days off during the international break last week, said: “If you want to make the play-offs it’s important to beat the teams around you and knock over a few of the ones above you.

“We have been able to work on a few things that have perhaps let us down in the last few weeks and were able to give the players a few days off last week.

“That’s important because we have been through a very tough spell and they have worked hard in that period too, so we’ll see how they come back this weekend.

“I said to them before the break that this was a really big test and I wanted to see how they do and see how they have looked after themselves. That will be a big factor in how I handle things later in the season.”

The Bulls boss is wary of the threat posed by Denis Betts’ side, who scored five tries in their 38-28 defeat to Leeds on Monday, underlining their attacking threat.

Cummins said: “When you look at them individually, they don’t scare you and in that they are probably a bit like us.

“We know we have to all play at our best and then we can beat those big teams. It’s similar with Widnes and they are improving.

“It’s a team sport and if we play collectively, we can get those bigger teams that may have better individuals – and it’s the same with them.”