Bradford City pulled a blinder with AFC Wimbledon raid - He may be the catalyst for a promotion charge | OneFootball

Bradford City have pulled a blinder by signing AFC Wimbledon's Josh Neufville

Bradford City have pulled a blinder by securing the signing of AFC Wimbledon star Josh Neufville in the summer, who could be the catalyst to a surprise promotion charge.

The start of the season in League One has been nothing short of crazy, with unexpected pacesetters and strugglers at both ends of the division, making for interesting viewing from a neutral's point of view.

One of those sides exceeding expectations is newly-promoted Bradford, who lead the way in the third tier after the opening ten games, which has certainly taken everyone in the division by surprise.

What makes this even more impressive is that Graham Alexander's side didn't spend big in the summer, and were instead smart and shrewd with their transfer business, building a squad that boasts a great blend of experienced heads and exciting young talents.

The key signing in the summer though has to be Neufville, who joined from fellow promotion winners Wimbledon on a free transfer, and has so far proven to be a key component in a Bantams squad that could defy the odds this season.

Bradford City pulled off a stunning coup with Josh Neufville signing

Wing-back Neufville took a while to get his career going in the EFL, having risen through the ranks with Luton Town, but failing to gain any league experience, which saw him head out on numerous loan deals.

The youngster was sent to the National League by the Hatters, gaining valuable experience with Solihull Moors, Woking, and Yeovil Town, before finally getting his first crack at the EFL with Sutton United in 2022.

He was released by his parent club the following summer, and would be picked up by AFC Wimbledon on a free transfer, which is where he would go on to play some of the best football of his career, racking up 99 appearances in all competitions for the Dons.

After featuring in every single match in Wimbledon's promotion-winning campaign last term, and registering five goals and five assists had the 24-year-old on the radar of plenty of clubs, as his Wombles contract neared its end.

Surprisingly, fellow newly-promoted side Bradford won the race to sign Neufville on a free transfer, and his form early in the season has been key to their charge to the summit of the League One ladder.

With three goals and one assist in his opening 10 league outings, the former Wimbledon star has revolutionised that wing-back role for the Bantams, with his relentless energy and blistering pace up and down the right flank.

Whilst Bradford are an enormous club in League One, it's fair to say they weren't up there with the promotion favourites before the season kicked off, but that's now quickly changed after a wonderful start to the new campaign.

There's still a very long way to go until all is decided, but Alexander's side are showing no signs of slowing down their rapid start to the campaign, and are continuing to pull the strings in League One, thanks to one of their star wide players.

Neufville has scored three goals in his last three league outings from wing-back and has proven to be one of the very best wide players in the division, thanks to his pace, tenacity, and excellent work rate, making playing against him a nightmare for anyone.

Despite being somewhat of a late bloomer in his career, the former Luton youngster has made significant strides in recent years, finding his feet as a wing-back after transitioning from a more attacking-minded winger in the early stages of his career.

A defensive player who contributes at both ends of the pitch and possesses the key qualities that make Neufville a key player for Bradford is a commodity to come by in today's market, and the fact that they managed to sign him for free from a fellow promoted side is a serious statement about the club's direction.

With the 24-year-old hitting a rich vein of form and this Bradford team showing no signs of taking their foot off the gas, he could find himself as the catalyst for an unexpected promotion charge, should this form persist for the Yorkshire side.