GREG ABBOTT believes new recruit Adam Chicksen is ready to reach his peak with City.

The former Charlton left back became the Bantams’ first signing of the summer yesterday after the 25-year-old penned a two-year deal.

City were hoping to make a double swoop on the same day, though their move for a second target was put on hold after a complication.

And it is understood that neither player is associated with the two six-figure bids which head of recruitment Abbott said the club had made last week.

On Chicksen, who played 21 league games for the Addicks last season after signing from Brighton, Abbott said: “He’s coming at a great age. He’s got his learning years behind him. At 25, he is coming in at a good age to show he’s coming towards his peak and to join a team where he is hopefully going to come in and be number one and play 40-odd games.

“His eyes lit up when I showed him the ground and told him there would be upwards of 19,000 in the stadium every week. He looked at me and said ‘I want some of this’.

“The way he handled himself was very good and we want to bring in the right types of people – he certainly fits that bill.”

Milton Keynes-born Chicksen, who started his career with home-town MK Dons where he made 73 league games before earning a move to Brighton, is thought to be in a similar mould to predecessor James Meredith.

An athletic player who likes to get up and down the pitch, it is thought boss Stuart McCall can get the best out of him.

Abbott said: "We've looked at Adam's qualities, he's got two great feet, although he comes in predominantly as a left back.

"He gets up and down the pitch well, showing a lot of energy.

"We believe Stuart (McCall) will do what he did with a lot of players last season and get the best out of Adam.

"You only have to look at the form of the likes of James Meredith, Mark Marshall and Rory McArdle to see how Stuart can get the best out of players.

"We feel Adam has the ability to be a top player and Stuart is the sort of manager to help him get there.”

Chicksen said: "I've played at Bradford a few times now and I always remember that you get a shiver down your spine because of the atmosphere and the crowd.

"Bradford away was one of those games you looked out for on the fixture list - you don't get that feeling with a lot of other clubs.”

Meanwhile, on the second signing the club had hoped to announce yesterday, Abbott said: “There was a complication. It was nothing to do with us and nothing to do with finance but it might take a week or so to sort out or it might be done in 24 hours.”