Bradford City: Mark Hughes makes first summer signing as Southampton goalkeeper signs two-year deal

The 24-year-old will officially join the Bantams from July 1, as Mark Hughes makes an early start on his recruitment as he aims to have his squad ready for the start of the League Two season.

Lewis has the option to extend his deal into a third season and will join the Bantams on a free as his contract at Southampton expires at the end of June.

The goalkeeper will reunite with Hughes in West Yorkshire, having worked under the Welshman at the Saints in 2018.

Prior to working under Hughes on the south coast, Lewis made three Emirates FA Cup appearances for the Saints in 2017, keeping a clean sheet in a 1-0 third-round replay victory over Norwich City.

He found game time hard to come by at Southampton and spent the 2017-18 campaign on loan Dundee United as he made 39 appearances and kept 11 clean sheets to help the Tangerines finish third in the Scottish Championship.

Lewis said: “I am delighted. I have had a walk around the stadium and you can see the size of the football club, and I am just so excited to get going. It is great to feel a part of it.

“It is an ambitious club and one that should not be in League Two. I am not interested in playing League Two football for years to come, and am really interested in this as a project. I want to be part of the team that gets it out of this division.

“The gaffer and I had a good few months working together at Southampton a few years ago so it has worked out quite nicely and led to this opportunity. He is a fantastic manager with great pedigree and I am looking forward to working with him more.

“I am in it for the long haul, looking forward to getting on the pitch for Bradford City and excited by where we can help this club go.”

Hughes said: “We are really pleased to have Harry with us. He is an outstanding goalkeeper who I know from my time at Southampton.

“We are getting an exceptional 'keeper who is really good in the fundamental areas, but his distribution with his feet is also very strong, which is something we like in a goalkeeper.

“We see him as a real coup and are delighted to be able to bring him to the club.”