Bradford City Sign Defender Hayden Matthews on Loan
Bradford City have moved to strengthen their back line with the loan signing of Portsmouth defender Hayden Matthews on a season-long deal.
The 22-year-old centre-back, capped once by Australia, arrives at Mbanq Valley Parade looking to relaunch his career after an injury-disrupted spell at Fratton Park. Portsmouth paid £1.25m to bring him in from Sydney FC in January 2025, a fee that underlined the level of expectation around the defender, but his progress has stalled.
Matthews has made 20 appearances for Pompey since that move, his momentum repeatedly checked by fitness setbacks. 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 of games.
Bradford are betting that regular football can unlock the player Portsmouth thought they were signing. A tall, front-foot defender with international pedigree, Matthews offers presence in both boxes and a touch of top-level experience to a squad being reshaped for the campaign ahead.
He becomes the club’s third recent loan addition, joining QPR midfielder Kieran Morgan and Blackburn Rovers defender George Pratt in a growing contingent of temporary recruits. The pattern is clear: Bradford are using the loan market aggressively, and Matthews is now central to that plan.
