Bradford City Signs Hayden Matthews on Loan

Bradford City have moved to strengthen their back line with the season-long loan signing of Portsmouth defender Hayden Matthews.

The 22-year-old centre-back, capped once by Australia, arrives at Mbanq Valley Parade looking to restart a career that has stalled under the weight of injuries rather than talent. Portsmouth paid £1.25m to bring him in from Sydney FC in January 2025, a fee that underlined how highly they rated him. Since then, though, he has managed just 20 appearances for Pompey.

His last competitive outing came in the 1-1 draw with Birmingham at Fratton Park on the final day of last season, a reminder of how long he has been waiting for a sustained run. Bradford are betting that hunger will show.

Matthews becomes the third fresh loan face through the door in quick succession. QPR midfielder Kieran Morgan and Blackburn Rovers defender George Pratt have already joined the club, signalling a clear push to add energy and depth across the spine of the team.

A young international centre-back with something to prove, dropped into a squad being reshaped on the fly. Bradford’s defensive story this season may well run through Hayden Matthews.