Bradford City have signed Reece Burke and Lee Evans on loan, the club have confirmed.
Burke arrives from West Ham United on a one-month deal, whilst Evans joins from Wolverhampton Wanderers and will stay at Valley Parade until January.
Burke to strengthen defence
Burke, aged 18, joins the Bantams as Phil Parkinson looks to bolster his defence, especially in the centre, after a sloppy start to the season. After Andrew Davies joined Ross County and Gary MacKenzie's loan deal from Blackpool was not made permanent, City have found their back line to be a lot leakier after just three league games, and one in the cup.
Rory McArdle remains and has been partnered by new signing Nathan Clarke, who joined from Leyton Orient, but the summer arrival has failed to impress and now Burke will add competition, at the very least, to help push Clarke further.
The teenager started four games for the Hammers in the Premier League last season, making another appearance off the bench too, and is highly-rated at Upton Park. Capped at under-18 and under-19 level for England, his spell with Bradford will be his first away from West Ham and he will be keen to impress in the process and persuade the club to extend the one-month loan and add to his experience.
Evans will bolster a thin midfield
Just hours after announcing the arrival of Burke, City also revealed that they have added Evans to the squad on a long deal until January.
The 21-year-old midfielder signed a new contract with Wolves this summer, having joined them from Newport County in 2013 after making 25 appearances and scoring three goals for his boyhood club, but has fallen out of favour at his current team, appearing only 10 times in the 2014-15 season despite playing 28 games the year before.
Capped seven times at under-21 level for Wales, scoring twice, Parkinson will be thrilled to have added Evans to his team given the lack of options he has in the middle of the park, especially with injuries adding to these woes.
Poor performances in defence mean that holding midfielder Gary Liddle has been played alongside McArdle already this season, hindering the midfield even more, whilst Billy Clarke, the team's talisman who has been operating in a number 10 role, was today ruled out for three months with a knee ligament injury.
Christopher Routis will be out for a short period with a hamstring problem too, meaning Billy Knott, who has under-performed recently, and Liddle are the team's only options in midfield now - though Josh Morris and Tony McMahon can play here if necessary.
Yet, Evans, with his burning desire to impress and regain his position in the Wolves side, is sure to add creativity to the team, as well as another option for the manager.