The lowdown on new Bradford City signing Clarke Oduor

But what can we expect of the 23-year-old who was capped once by his native Kenya?

Oduor was released by League One play-off finalists Barnsley after four years at Oakwell.

He also had a 14-game loan spell with Hartlepool in the first half of last season.

Oduor made 57 appearances for the Tykes, scoring one memorable goal to keep them up in the Championship.

We asked Doug O’Kane, sports editor of the Barnsley Chronicle, for his insight on the player coming to Valley Parade.

“I think Oduor's really talented, his footwork, his skill and ball control are up there with a really high standard of player,” he said.

“He’s said himself that he learned that playing on the streets as a kid. Constantly playing with his mates helped him develop into a very good technical footballer who can dribble past players.

“But it’s probably fair to say that hasn’t really translated fully into professional men’s football as yet.

“He probably has a bit of work to do on his physicality and nailing down a position and understanding it. But talent-wise, he’s definitely got something.

“Hopefully Bradford will be a decent club for him to go to.”

Clarke Oduor has signed a three-year deal at City (Image: Thomas Gadd)

The left-footed Oduor has played as a full back, wing-back and winger - but also harbours aspirations of operating centrally as well, according to O’Kane.

“He’s an attacking midfielder who has said in various interviews that he wants to play as a number 10 behind the strikers.

“But because he’s left-footed, he’s mainly been used at left back or left wing-back at Barnsley.

“Barnsley have played wing-backs most of the time he has been there so he’s been shoved into that position.

“Maybe it will suit him more as a winger with less defending to do.”

Despite never being a regular in the side, Oduor ensured he will never be forgotten by Barnsley fans for his only goal for the club at the end of the 2020 season.

The Tykes had looked doomed for the drop from the Championship when football was suspended because of the pandemic.

They were seven points adrift of safety when the second tier restarted to its conclusion behind closed doors that summer.

Fast forward to the final day and Barnsley had to win to stay up. Hosts Brentford needed the three points to clinch promotion to the Premier League.

With the game locked at 1-1 going into stoppage time, Patrick Schmidt drilled a cross to the far post where Oduor slid it home.

Cue mayhem among the Barnsley players and coaching staff by the corner flag at an otherwise-deserted Griffin Park.

O’Kane added: “Even though it was behind closed doors and no fans were there, that was a big moment in Barnsley’s recent history.

“It was a ridiculous escape from nowhere really. Nobody had given them a chance and they beat Brentford, who would have gone into the Premier League by winning that match.

“It was a memorable moment for him but he hasn’t quite kicked on.

“He burst on the scene and did pretty well in that first season in 2019/20. But after that, he’s never really been first choice.

“He’s been in and out, used in different positions and had the odd good game and some disappointing ones as well. He hasn’t quite kicked on.

“End product is something he needs to work on, like a lot of young, attacking players.

“But I’d say he’s never really been given a proper chance at Barnsley or Hartlepool.

“Obviously he’s got to earn that, it’s a two-way street. But I’d like to see him getting 30-plus starts in a season and see what his goals and assists are at the end of that.”

Keith Curle, Hartlepool’s manager at the time when Oduor returned to Barnsley, told him he needs to “impact the game” more.

“Technically he’s got good ball mastery,” he told the Hartlepool Mail. “He can service the ball very, very well, but it’s having an impact on the game as well.

“I go and watch a lot of under-23’s and under-21’s football and I see lots of people who have got good ball mastery and have good ball technique but they don’t impact the game.”

O’Kane can see Curle’s point but feels Oduor is still waiting for that decent spell in a team.

“I think what Keith Curle said was a fair criticism but equally he hasn’t really been given that chance.

“He’s been in and out with lots of different managers.

“If he gets a long run in a team in a position he’s comfortable with, then it will be interesting to see how many goals and assists he can come up with.”