CITY’S League Two rivals could be on alert to Andy Cook’s potential availability as a raft of Valley Parade exits are expected.

Vadaine Oliver’s capture on a three-year deal will pose an inevitable question mark against last season’s top scorer.

The former Gillingham centre forward will spearhead City’s new-look strike-force which has already been beefed up with the arrival of Kian Harratt and Jake Young.

With Lee Angol also preparing for a big season after putting his hamstring nightmares behind him, Cook’s position as first-choice centre forward appears under threat.

Mark Hughes took his summer tally to 14 new recruits with the double swoop for Oliver and Fleetwood right back Brad Halliday. His squad is now almost complete – paving the way for a few now potentially on the fringes to look elsewhere.

Hughes said: “There’s a reality to that situation. There are a number of players that will possibly feel when the season starts in earnest they will see they are better served leaving the club and getting back on track in terms of their own career.

“It happens every year. It’s a process that obviously coincides with new players coming in.

“People see that the door is possibly shut to them at first-team level and it’s in their best interests to move on.

“When you acquire players, you have to shed them as well. That process goes hand in hand.”

Cook, who has another year on his Valley Parade contract, has scored 20 goals for City since signing, initially on loan, from Mansfield in January 2021. He netted 12 times last season – but only twice in his last 18 appearances.

Oscar Threlkeld and Fiacre Kelleher are likely to move on and Hughes may also look to loan out some of the younger players in the squad to get some game-time.

Finn Cousin-Dawson played the full 90 minutes against Derby at the weekend and Reece Staunton also started to cover injuries in the full-back positions. Kian Scales and rookie pros Charlie Wood and Bobby Pointon came on in the second half.

The Bantams have been the busiest club in the current window and Hughes hopes they can take advantage from having so much of their business done early.

“Everybody has a different view in terms of acquisition of players,” he said. “Some like to wait to the end and see what fruits fall from the tree.

“Sometimes players that maybe anticipated they’d have offers at a higher level suddenly realise they won’t get them and they become available.

“People you had conversations with earlier in the window who said, ‘no, I’m going to play at a higher level’ start ringing you up.

“It is how it is at this level. We’re pleased where we are at the moment.

“We feel the benefit of being together so early as a group, predominantly the one who’s going to move us forward certainly at the beginning of the season, is vital for us.

“Everybody has a different opinion. Some agree with me, others feel it’s more beneficial to wait.

“But I’d rather have the confidence of the guys in the building and working with them on a day-to-day basis as soon as possible."