Swindon Town will be worried after Bradford City manager Graham Alexander hinted he could bring striker Jake Young back to Valley Parade in January.
The 22-year-old joined the Wiltshire side on a season-long loan in the summer and has been in phenomenal form. With 16 goals in 19 games, the striker is League Two’s top goalscorer and his form has helped fire the Robins to the fringes of the play-off places.
By stark contrast, Bradford have endured a miserable campaign to date, culminating in the sacking of manager Mark Hughes in October. Their month-long search for a replacement ended at the beginning of last month when former MK Dons boss Graham Alexander was handed the reins until the end of the 2025/26 season.
After a slow start under the guidance of the 52-year-old, the Bantams have won their last three fixtures in all competitions, but their lack of fire power will need to be addressed if they want to match last season’s achievements, where they earned a play-off spot with a sixth-placed finish.
The irony that the league’s top goalscorer is on their books is not lost on Alexander, who has hinted that Young could return to the squad in the New Year. Addressing the situation, the gaffer admitted that it is a scenario that could be explored. Via Telegraph & Argus, he said;
“This is the game. There are different reasons why players do well at one club and not at another.
“It happens all the time. It might be the style of play, the formation, relationships with other players.
“I understand it can be frustrating, but you can only play 11 at one time so there are always going to be good players who miss out on regular game time.
“For us, it’s good to see players that belong to us going out and playing well and showing how good they are.
“It’s good we have options to bring them back and slip them into our squad if we see fit.”
Young joined Bradford from Forest Green Rovers in 2022 but made just 12 appearances in all competitions before joining Barrow on loan in January this year. He struggled to make an impact at the Cumbrian outfit, failing to hit the back of the net in 17 appearances. However, he has found his rhythm at Swindon and has scored in his previous six outings.
Writer’s View
This is a major conundrum for Graham Alexander. His Bradford side are desperately in need of goals and Young’s form at their League Two rivals looks to be the solution. However, do they let the attacker remain at the County Ground for the remainder of the campaign and continue his development, or do they potentially run the risk of disrupting his form by bringing him back?
Selfishly, it looks a no-brainer and he could be like a new signing. Although currently in 14th, the Bantams are just five points off the play-off places and he could be the man to fire them into the upper reaches of the table.