Nigerian midfielder Hope Akpan has signed for League One club Bradford City on a two-year contract. The 26-year-old was a free agent after leaving fellow League One side Burton Albion at the end of the 2017/18 season.
“We are really pleased to get Hope into the building,” Bantams boss Michael Collins is quoted by the club’s official website. We already had excellent quality in that area (midfield), but Hope will add to that whilst also offering a strong physical presence. The intensity of the league demands we have quality in all departments to cope, and we feel like we are getting there now.”
Akpan is Bradford’s ninth signing in the English summer, alongside others such as Sherwin Seedorf and Connor Wood, as they look to challenge for promotion to the EFL Championship. Akpan, who was born in Childwall, Liverpool, began his club career with Everton and has gone on to feature for Hull City, Crawley Town, Reading, Blackburn Rovers and Burton Albion before this move to Valley Parade.
The midfielder was born to Nigerian parents and hence was eligible to represent the West African country in international football. He made his Super Eagles debut under the tenure of Stephen Keshi in October 2014, appearing in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Sudan. Akpan made 26 appearances and scored two goals for Burton Albion in the Championship during the 2017/18 campaign.