Dean Windass today urged Nahki Wells: Don’t go anywhere.

Wells is the man of the moment at Valley Parade after scoring the club’s first hat-trick for four years.

City hope he will sign an improved deal in the summer but could face a fight to keep him.

Bantams favourite Windass believes his old club must pull out all the stops to hang on to the 21-year-old, who is thought to be one of the lowest paid players in Phil Parkinson’s squad.

And he feels Wells would be making a mistake if he considered a move elsewhere.

Windass, the club’s all-time third highest scorer, smashed four hat-tricks during his two spells in the claret and amber.

He appreciates the buzz surrounding the exciting Bermudian – but warned him not to be in a rush to head off.

Windass said: “My advice to Nahki is to concentrate on playing for Bradford City. Don’t let anybody turn your head.

“Learn your trade at the club and don’t be too anxious to go somewhere else. The important thing is that he needs to be playing every week.

“Nahki needs to get himself established with another couple of years at Valley Parade. He will get the regular game time there to improve as a player.

“If he goes to another club, he could end up stuck on the bench. That’s the last thing you need as a young player.

“Forget about the money. He’s a young kid and his time will come as he moves up the leagues.

“First and foremost, Bradford City need to make sure he goes nowhere.”

Windass has been impressed with what he has seen of Wells, who has scored 11 goals in his first full pro season. He believes the “little and large” partnership with James Hanson can be key to future success.

“Nahki’s still got that naivety but he knows the game. He knows when to gamble off Hanson’s flick-ons.

“He’s also quite brave for a little lad. He might be like a greyhound but he’s not frightened to put himself about in the right manner.

“It helps when you get a favourite pairing up front. You’ve got that little and large combination, two different types.

“I was a bit unfortunate at Bradford because I had that many strike partners. I enjoyed playing with Dele Adebola the most and he was only there a couple of months.

“But he would take the battering and I fed off all the scraps – that’s what Nahki does with big James.

“James is learning the game as well. I had a chat with him at Christmas about how to create fouls and back into people, clever little things like that.

“Together they are working well and it’s a massive boost for the club. It’s been a long time since they had a centre forward who you could rely on getting goals.”

Wells has announced his intention to overhaul Hanson as City’s top hitman over the final three games. He heads into tomorrow’s home clash with relegation strugglers Macclesfield two goals behind.

Windass would not be surprised if he carries on where he left off at Northampton.

“Bradford City fans take to players who score goals. You get that rapport going with the crowd and they will love him.

“The boy will be really looking forward to the next game. He’ll be champing at the bit to get back out there.

“He knows he’ll be playing and his confidence will be sky high. He’ll know that the other players will be thinking ‘get the ball in the box and he’ll score’.

“It’s still early days for the lad but what a great start to his career. He’s only 21 now – that was the age when I came in to the game.

“You don’t know what’s going to happen but my advice to the club is to make him feel wanted.

“They need to do whatever they can to keep him.”