OUT-of-favour City trio Josh Wright, Alex Jones and Joe Riley have been told to find new clubs in the transfer window.

All three have found themselves surplus to requirements in David Hopkin's squad plans in the fight to pull away from the League One relegation zone.

And he is encouraging them to take the opportunity to look elsewhere during this month.

Hopkin said: “We’ve got a big squad and too many players in the same positions.

"Josh, Alex and Joe have not been in the squads recently because we’ve put players in who can cover other positions. They’ll be free to find clubs.

“We need to bring in another one or two but I don’t want to make wholesale changes.

“But the players who aren’t going to be in the squad might still not be on the bench.

“It’s best for everybody that they try and find a club, whether it’s a permanent move or a loan. It gets them out playing football.”

Wright was named club captain by Michael Collins after signing in the summer. But the much-travelled midfielder has been limited to 16 appearances – the last in November in the Checkatrade Trophy.

Striker Jones has had a terrible time with the ankle problems that wrote off his previous campaign. He has played just three times as a sub – and had to be replaced 10 minutes after coming on the last time after pulling his hamstring.

Former Manchester United under-23s captain Riley has started only one game since Hopkin took over in September.

The Bantams boss added: “As a manager, you’ve got to be fair with your players.

“Every player I spoke to understands. Sometimes it’s not nice to hear that you’re not part of my plans – but that doesn’t mean you can’t be a part of someone else’s plans.

“You’ve got to stay professional and keep yourself fit.

“We’ve done that with all the players who haven’t been involved in the squad.

“We’ve worked them hard and got them fit. It’s been hard work for them but it’s for their own good.

“The easiest thing for me would be to say ‘I’m not interested, just leave them’. But I always make sure that if a player leaves Bradford he’s going to be prepared mentally and physically to go straight into somebody else’s team.

“It’s the domino effect. Every club is the same.

“You get players from higher teams that maybe people don’t want and they get offered to us.

“We might have players that aren’t in our squad and they may go somewhere else and really enjoy playing football again.

“Just because it sometimes doesn’t work at one club doesn’t mean it won’t work at another.”

Youngsters Ellis Hudson, Reece Powell and Curtis Peters have already left the club in recent weeks.