Football League World
·7 January 2021
Football League World
·7 January 2021
This article is part of Football League World’s ‘The Verdict’ series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Bradford City look set to swoop for Leeds United winger Jordan Stevens on loan, as the Premier League side plan to recall him from a spell at Swindon Town.
Leeds sent Stevens to Swindon to work with Richie Wellens, with the 20-year-old bagging a goal and an assist in his first two appearances.
However, a change in management and John Sheridan’s arrival has hindered his game time.
As per Phil Hay, Stevens is set to be recalled and sent to Bradford.
Our writers discuss that seemingly inevitable arrival at Valley Parade…
Sam Rourke
Looks perfect to me.
Stevens has not been afforded the game-time he nor Leeds would have wanted at Swindon, and it’s the right call to recall him and send him out somewhere else.
Bradford are seeing a mini-resurgence in form and look like a team that are now looking up rather than down, and Stevens could add a real element of youthful exuberance to the Bantams’ right flank.
Having watched Stevens a handful of times during his loan stint at the Robins, it’s clear he’s a player who is not afraid to take on opposition defenders, with him looking bright and lively during the times i’ve watched him live.
Naturally, there are raw tendencies in his final ball but if afforded regular game-time at Valley Parade, these sort of things can be ironed out.
Also, Stevens could stay based in Leeds with Bradford also in Yorkshire, so logistically, it does make sense.
Bryce Hosannah is already on loan at Bradford whilst former Whites man Paudie O’Connor is also there, so the embedding process would certainly be aided.
Ned Holmes
I think this is the right call.
He doesn’t seem to have had much of a chance at Swindon recently and it wouldn’t surprise me if the League One strugglers are a negative side to be with at the moment.
Recalling him and sending him to Bradford makes sense. He should get more of a chance and will be close to home.
It’s a fantastic signing for the Bantams, who will be getting a hungry, young player that has shown glimpses of his quality for Leeds.
Bielsa trusted him and that shows what a bright prospect he is, so he should be able to have an impact for Bradford.
Toby Wilding
I do think this could be a good signing for Bradford.
Stevens has been in and around the Leeds first-team before, and that alone is enough to show that he clearly has a great deal of potential and ability, given the standards set by Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road.
Indeed, you feel the midfielder will be determined to prove that point after something of a challenging time at Swindon, and a move back to Yorkshire with Bradford could help him to do that, with the drop down to League Two potentially helping him as well.
With that in mind, it does seem as though it would be the right move for Leeds to bring him back from Swindon and look to send him out elsewhere, given he wasn’t really getting the game time he needed to improve at The County Ground, meaning there seemed to be little point in leaving him there.