Bradford City are lining up an ambitious permanent swoop for Barnsley defender Jack Shepherd this summer, following the conclusion of his loan spell with the League Two promotion-winners.
The 24-year-old played an integral role in helping Graham Alexander’s side to secure promotion back to League One and now the Bantams want to tie him down to a permanent contract at Valley Parade.
Bradford have already begun their summer recruitment with the signing of former Sunderland midfielder Max Power earlier this week and have set their sights on adding to that in the coming weeks.
Bradford eye Shepherd return
As reported by journalist Alan Nixon, Bradford City are keen to secure the permanent signing of Barnsley’s Jack Shepherd this summer rather than trying to bring him back on loan.
The 24-year-old isn’t thought to be a player that Barnsley are ‘open to selling’, which Nixon also reports, making the ability to agree a fee complex at this stage.
Shepherd is under contract at Oakwell until June 2026, though they also have a one-year option in their favour which can be triggered at any moment.
How did he fare at Bradford?
After returning to Oakwell in the summer following a loan stint with Cheltenham Town, Shepherd was sent out for a second consecutive window as he joined Bradford.
He made his debut immediately on the opening match of the season against MK Dons, where his performances began to go from strength to strength.
His first goal came in early-October as he grabbed a vital goal in a 1-1 draw away to relegated Morecambe before adding another weeks later.
Across all competitions, Shepherd made 47 appearances during his time at Bradford City, scoring three goals for the club as they sealed promotion from League Two in dramatic style on the final day.
Is a return a good thing?
Barnsley had a disappointing 2024/25 campaign, slipping entirely out of the play-off picture and are now under the management of Conor Hourihane where results have improved.
Shepherd was out of favour previously but his impressive performances out on loan may warrant a return to the first-team squad.
However, he also played the best football of his career so far at Bradford and a return would be a difficult one for him to turn down – especially given the two clubs are now in the same division.
The fee could provide several challenges for Bradford City but he is likely to be one of their main targets heading into the summer transfer window and it remains to be seen whether a deal can be struck.