Mark Hughes has added Rovers Academy graduate Matty Platt to his Bradford City ranks.

Platt turned down the offer of a new deal with Barrow to make the move to Valley Parade on a free transfer.

There the 24-year-old will work under former Rovers boss Hughes who took the job at the Bantams earlier this year.

Platt played four times for the Rovers first-team, all in the cup competitions, and had loan spells at Accrington Stanley and Barrow.

He made a permanent move to Barrow in 2020 and in all made 97 appearances for the club, who had offered him the opportunity to stay with the club.

But Platt was delighted to take up the interest from Bradford, with Hughes looking to build a squad capable of launching a bid for promotion from League Two next term.

“I am delighted to be here and to finally have the deal sorted. I am just looking forward to getting going,” Platt said.

“Everything about the club sparked my interest as soon as I heard of the offer. Bradford City speaks for itself and the ambition really drew me in.

“I have spent three good years at Barrow which have enabled me to gather experience of this division and also getting promoted, which will hopefully stand me in good stead.

“Someone like Mark Hughes in charge, with the experience and success he has had as a player and a manager, will only help me.

“I will give everything I have in a Bradford City shirt and cannot wait to get started.”

Platt played three times for Rovers in the Checkatrade Trophy campaign in 2017/18, then featured in the Carabao Cup win over Oldham Athletic in 2019 before making a loan move to Barrow which was then made permanent.

Hughes said of Platt, who had seven years in all with Rovers: “We are delighted to have secured Matty’s services for the next two seasons and are looking forward to working with him.

“He is a strong defender with a great physical presence, but also a player comfortable on the ball and more than capable of playing out and fitting into the style we want to implement.”

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