The 32-year-old has signed a two-year deal with the Bantams after performing a U-turn following his decision last week to join Cheltenham Town.

Boulding, who netted 22 league goals for relegated Mansfield Town last term, was McCall's No 1 transfer target but his desire to play in League One seemed to have scuppered any hopes of the striker moving to Valley Parade.

That was, however, until Tuesday night when his father informed Cheltenham manager Keith Downing about Boulding's change of heart and intention to instead join City. His brother Rory, 20, has also joined the Bantams.

He travelled north to link up with the rest of the Bradford squad in Scotland yesterday although he will have to sit out tomorrow's friendly against Motherwell due to an ankle injury sustained when training with McCall's squad earlier this month. The damage is also likely to keep him out at the start of the season.

The Bantams manager said: "There are no guarantees in football but Michael showed his ability last season in scoring so many goals for a team who struggled.

"He was always my No 1 target for the summer so to finally sign Michael is a major boost for everyone at the club. We had been quoted £150,000 for some strikers so to get someone who scored so many goals last season on a free is great news.

"I understood totally that he should want to play at the highest level possible, and if that was not to be the Championship then it was going to be League One.

"To be honest, I thought he had signed for Cheltenham but word came through on Wednesday that nothing had been finalised.

"When I found this out, I got straight on the phone and was delighted to hear that Michael and Rory would accept our offer. The finances had not changed from the offer we initially made."

Boulding finished last season as League Two's fourth-highest scorer with 22 goals with only Peterborough's Aaron McLean (29), Scott McGleish of Wycombe Wanderers (26) and Chesterfield's Jack Lester (24) finding the net more times.

Cheltenham boss Downing said: "We had a phone call to say that he was signing for Bradford City. It was stressed that it was a personal decision and nothing to do with money."