Bradford City have confirmed the singing of Burton Albion forward Charles Vernam for an undisclosed fee.
The League Two side said that they had “beaten off competition” for the 24-year-old, who has signed a contract until the end of the 2021-22 season.
Vernam, who can play out wide or up front, leaves League One outfit Burton after just half a season, in which he scored two goals in 16 appearances.
“It is great to have got the move sorted,” he told Bradford’s official club website. “As soon as I heard of the interest from Bradford City, I knew where I needed to be.
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“I remember playing here last season for Grimsby, and the stadium was pretty much full. You do not forget those sorts of moments, and I want to be able to experience that kind of an atmosphere again.
“It is a massive club with a big footballing community, which is an important part of being a player. You want to be somewhere where you feel important and wanted by the supporters.
“I am here to show people what I am about, which is attacking football. I like to take people on, score and assist. I believe I can bring that to this football club to hopefully help us climb the table.”
Vernam learnt his trade in the academies at first Scunthorpe United and then Derby County, though he only made one professional appearance for the Rams in the FA Cup in 2017.
He got a greater taste of senior action on loan, spending time in Iceland with IBV before further short spells at Coventry City and Grimsby Town, both when under the management of Russell Slade.
The Mariners came back in for the striker after his loan ended in the summer of 2018 and he made his return to Lincolnshire a permanent one.
In his time at Blundell Park he scored 13 goals in 81 matches, before securing a move up a division last summer to join Burton.
Vernam signed a two-year deal with the Brewers but his time in Staffordshire has only lasted six months, with new boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink allowing the player to leave League One’s bottom-placed side.
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It has been a very busy January window for Bradford, who are under the interim management of Mark Trueman and Conor Sellars.
Vernam is their eighth signing of the month, and a fifth permanent deal following the captures of Will Huffer from Bradford (Park Avenue), Plymouth Argyle’s Niall Canavan, Matty Foulds from Italian side Como, and Oldham Athletic’s Danny Rowe.
They have also brought three players in on loan for the remainder of the campaign: Leeds United’s Jordan Stevens, Rumarn Burrell from Middlesbrough, and Mansfield Town’s Andy Cook.
