GRAHAM Alexander feels Jake Young has been distracted by the on-going window speculation – as he confirmed City are closing in on another signing.
The loan target that they have been waiting for during the summer – thought to be a midfielder – could be training with the squad by Friday.
Young is currently sidelined with a slight injury but Alexander feels the constant transfer talk is having an effect.
“I think it is difficult for players to handle these situations,” said the City boss at this afternoon’s press conference.
“But he has experience of it because it was obviously the case in January for virtually the whole month until we got him on the pitch.
“It’s a similar scenario now. He will have better experience of how to manage this situation.
“But from what I see and feel from spending a lot of time around the players, I feel there’s a distraction with Jake at the moment.
“We’re being briefed that there are potential calls happening that didn’t come through.
“He’s missed the last couple of days training with an injury. But we’ve had no bids, just agent talk.”
Alexander insists there have been no developments in the chase for Young and repeated that he wants to keep the striker.
“I’ve been pretty clear from before I’d even seen him.
“I spoke to him numerous times on the phone when he was at Swindon.
“I brought him back and told him clearly what I wanted. Unfortunately, he got the injury which took him out for the rest of the season that nobody could have foreseen.
“The scenario is still the same. I feel he is a very good player who could help us win games.
“But I’m not completely in charge of his thoughts. I think right now I have to take a step back and focus on players who are absolutely 100 per cent focused on winning games for Bradford.”
Callum Johnson has suffered another setback in his injury recovery and was pulled out of yesterday’s bounce game behind closed doors.
Alexander said: “He had a reaction to something so, as a precaution, we kept him out the game. We don’t want any major setbacks with him.
“We’re just seeing how that settles down over the next couple of days.”
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