Bradford City have turned down three loan moves for out-of-favour striker Lee Mills amid strong speculation that last season's top scorer is set to leave Valley Parade.

Chairman Geoffrey Richmond has confirmed that Wolves, Huddersfield and Walsall have all asked to take Mills on loan until the end of the season.

The 29-year-old has recovered from injury and, yet, he was not part of the 18-man squad which travelled to Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend.

Richmond refused to comment on speculation that Mills criticised boss Paul Jewell at a recent supporters' forum in Skipton.

However the City chief said: "While it is true that none of our six strikers are for sale, it is also true that it is going to be difficult to keep them all happy.

"There have been three loan requests in the last few days for Lee Mills and we have turned them all down at this stage."

Mills was an integral part of last season's promotion success with his 24 league goals the best since Bobby Campbell netted 25 in the 1982-83 season.

Meanwhile, Jorge Cadete is set to make his first appearance for the reserves against Middlesbrough at Valley Parade tonight (7pm) as part of his battle to improve his fitness.

The Portuguese striker has come off the substitutes' bench in the last two first team games, but after not making a starting appearance for his club Benfica all season Jewell is keen for him to play a full 90 minutes at Valley Parade tonight.

The reserve side will include young Farsley Celtic goalkeeper Liam Sutcliffe who has been training with City in recent weeks.

Jewell said: "Jorge will play to help his fitness. He needs some games under his belt and will hopefully play the full 90 minutes.

"He doesn't carry any weight, but the Premier League is very fast and you need to be in perfect shape.

"Jorge will certainly play his part for us this season. But I have said before that Dean Windass and Dean Saunders have done well since linking up and it is up to the others to take the shirts off them.

"We are fortunate in that we have competition for places. The lads up front have done really well.

"I haven't been surprised by how well both Dean Saunders and Dean Windass have done because I have seen them in training every week.

"They are both intelligent and if you aren't blessed with pace, which our side isn't, then you have to make the runs. Both our front lads have been doing that."

City reserves: Sutcliffe, Wright, Dreyer, Westwood, Myers, Sharpe, Redfearn, Kerr, Blake, Cadete, Mills.

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