Bradford City Signs Defender Hayden Matthews on Loan

Bradford City have bolstered their back line with the season-long loan capture 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 stalled through injury on the south coast. Portsmouth paid £1.25m to bring him in from Sydney FC in January 2025, a move that underlined his potential as a long-term prospect at Fratton Park.

Since then, chances have been limited. Matthews has made 20 appearances for Pompey, with fitness issues repeatedly interrupting his rhythm. His last competitive outing came in the 1-1 draw with Birmingham City 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.

Now he gets that opportunity in West Yorkshire.

Matthews is the latest piece in a clear recruitment pattern at Bradford. He becomes the club’s third recent loan signing, following the arrivals of QPR midfielder Kieran Morgan and Blackburn Rovers defender George Pratt, as the Bantams reshape their squad with targeted additions from higher up the pyramid.

For Bradford, it is another statement that they intend to be more robust, more aggressive, and far harder to play against this season. For Matthews, it is simpler: a fresh start, a full campaign, and a chance to show why Portsmouth invested seven figures in him in the first place.