Bradford City have completed the signing of defender Corey O'Keeffe from Barnsley for an undisclosed fee. The 28-year-old has agreed a two-year contract with the League One club.
Graham Alexander, the Bradford City manager, moved to add defensive options to his squad. O'Keeffe arrives after three years at Oakwell, where he made 117 appearances for Barnsley. He spent the first half of the previous season on loan at Stockport County.
Corey O'Keeffe provides immediate cover and competition in the full-back positions. Graham Alexander highlighted the player's flexibility in his first comments on the signing. "Corey is versatile and can play on either side of defence," Alexander said.
This versatility is important for a Bradford City side currently sitting 9th in League One. They have taken six points from their opening four games, with a record of two wins and two losses. The team's recent form reads LLWW, showing an upturn after a difficult start.
The manager was clear about the attributes his new signing possesses. Alexander described O'Keeffe as an attack-minded player who will strengthen the squad's options. "He is an attack-minded player with very good quality and will strengthen our options," the manager stated.
His experience of 117 games at Barnsley suggests a player ready to contribute immediately. O'Keeffe's arrival comes as Bradford City look to solidify a defence that has conceded four goals this season, matching the four they have scored. This leaves them with a zero goal difference after four matches.
The signing is part of building a squad capable of challenging in the upper reaches of League One. Bradford City currently find themselves four points behind the early leaders, Huddersfield Town. Adding proven quality like O'Keeffe's is a step towards closing that gap.
His two-year contract provides stability for both player and club as they plan beyond the current campaign. Fans can see how the squad is shaping up by visiting our squad section.
Attention now turns to integrating O'Keeffe ahead of the next fixture. Bradford City host Mansfield Town at home on September 5th. Mansfield currently sit 7th in the table, making it a significant early-season test.
A positive result could see City climb the table from their current 9th position. The full schedule of upcoming matches is available on our fixtures page. Corey O'Keeffe signed his two-year contract with Bradford City this week.
