Official: United announce academy baller has sealed loan move to League One club until end of season

Manchester United have confirmed that Ethan Wheatley has completed a move to Bradford City, where he will play until the end of the season. Wheatley joins Bradford Wheatley spent the first half of the campaign on loan at Northampton Town, having signed for them during the summer transfer window. He endured a slow start to life at the club but his form improved and he eventually established himself as a key member of the squad under Kevin Nolan. Wheatley made 22 League One appearances for Northampton, contributing three goals and as many assists. As with all loanees, United inserted a January break clause in the deal to send Wheatley to Northampton. The Red Devils exercised this option, much to the dismay of Nolan. It then emerged that United felt a loan spell elsewhere would most benefit Wheatley’s development, with Bradford positioning themselves to secure him for the rest of the campaign. Now, United have announced that a deal has been completed. Wheatley’s remarks Reacting to the switch, Wheatley told Bradford’s in-house media, “I am buzzing. We have been in talks for quite a while.” “Now we have got the deal done, I am really excited to come in and help the team. I am over the moon to have got it signed and I cannot wait to get going.” He continued, “I have had a few appearances at United, where I played in front of 70,000 supporters; it was a great experience for me.” “I am happy with what I did at Northampton in the first part of this season. I thought I did a good job.” “I had League Two experience last season, then League One this campaign, and I thought I grew a lot as a player, especially in the last couple of months when I was able to play more of my game. am now hoping to show more of that here at Bradford.” Bradford’s next assignment is away at Luton Town on Saturday. The contest is an early kick-off. Featured image Pete Norton via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!