STUART McCall believes Charlie Wyke can be a “real handful” for City – but admits he didn’t know why it took so long to sign him.

The Carlisle hitman finally completed his move to Valley Parade on a busy deadline day in the club’s biggest deal for 17 years.

Wyke’s £250,000 price tag is the largest the Bantams have shelled out since Ashley Ward’s seven-figure fee on the eve of the second term in the Premier League.

The 24-year-old was one of four new faces to join the squad with Filipe Morais heading out in a bid to find regular football elsewhere.

McCall was delighted to clinch Wyke but slightly frustrated that it could not have been done sooner.

He said: “It shouldn’t have taken so long. We triggered the clause, the club spoke to the player’s agent and sorted out the deal a long time ago.

“But the good thing is we’ve got him in now. We needed a physical presence after losing (James) Hanson and we’ve got that in Charlie.

“He’s a strong boy, you can see from watching the clips that he’s a handful and we needed that.

“I’m sure he can continue to improve and continue his goal-scoring form that has been terrific in the past two seasons.”

City brought in Aston Villa centre half Kevin Toner as cover for the injured Matt Kilgallon as well as young defenders Jacob Hanson and Matt Penney.

They paid Huddersfield a fee for Hanson to back up the money spent on Wyke as well as Alex Jones at the start of the window.

McCall added: “When the owners came in, they said they would be willing to invest in younger players that they could maybe make a profit on in the future.

“We got a nice little windfall for James, and Nathan Clarke and Filipe Morais have also gone out so we’ve recouped a little bit of money there.

“We have spoken to a few of the other boys that have moved on in the window and were certainly near.

“For all different reasons they have not happened but that’s nothing to do with the club. Others have changed their mind and wouldn’t let players come to us and another one probably had something to do with an agent.

“But we’re happy with what we’ve got and we’re looking positively towards a strong finish to the season.”

City’s Wembley hopes in the Checkatrade Trophy ended last night with a 2-1 loss in their rearranged quarter-final at Oxford.

Jordy Hiwula headed his tenth goal of the season to give them late hope after Oxford had scored twice while Rory McArdle was off the field receiving treatment on a head wound.

McCall criticised the Oxford club doctor over the amount of time the team were down to ten men.

He said: “It should have taken three or four minutes but we were waiting and waiting.

“Rory didn’t come off with blood pouring out of his head. It wasn’t an emergency, he came walking off.

“He needed a couple of stitches and it ended up being five. It was unfortunate.

“But I was really pleased with the desire and application of the players.”