Lee Sharpe is back at Bradford City - hoping that it won't be for long.

The former England midfielder was training with the Bantams yesterday at the end of his three-month loan spell with Portsmouth.

But Sharpe is keeping his fingers crossed that having helped the south-coast club stay in Division One, he will soon be making a permanent move back there.

Sharpe said: "I've enjoyed playing regularly again, which I wasn't doing at Bradford, and their manager Graham Rix wants to keep me.

"He phoned me the other night saying that the clubs would be getting in touch later this week so hopefully something will get sorted.

"If Bradford don't want to use me and Portsmouth do then I will take it into consideration. I've got one more year on my contract here but the club have had a bit of a clear-out and if it means me getting off their wage bill then it could suit both parties.

"The chairman wants more players off the list and I presume I'm one of them because I was sent out on loan. I'll just let the two clubs get on with it and then wait to hear the outcome."

Sharpe, understood to be on £10,000 a week, started only once under Jim Jefferies at Chelsea in December and lasted just 11 minutes before suffering a hamstring injury. But he has played 15 times for Pompey and would relish the challenge to take on the Bantams in Division One next season.

Sharpe said: "I've had a good time down there although it was a bit tense going to the last day before managing to stay up.

"With Bradford doing the same last year, I'm making a bit of a habit of nail-biting finishes but when it turns out in your favour it's great.

"It felt a bit weird coming back here two days later and training with Bradford again.

"I'm not sure what is going on but I've been in limbo for the last couple of months since I went out on loan not knowing what would happen at the end of the season.

"I've booked a holiday in the south of France for the end of the month and it would be great if everything was settled by then. And if I do join Portsmouth, I can then start looking for a house when I get back."

Jefferies said: "Lee has said that Portsmouth will be in touch so we're waiting to see what develops.

"He has been playing regularly down there and it would be a good opportunity for him."

Centre-half Mark Bower, who has been on loan with York City, lasted only an hour of his comeback for City's reserves last night.

Bower was stretchered off with a badly twisted ankle in the 3-1 defeat against Everton at Widnes.