Crewe Alexandra have been in negotiations to bring in midfielder Bradden Inman for the last few weeks. The 21-year-old is going to be out of contract with the Magpies after saying that he will not sign a new contract. Since he is less than stipulated age required for a free transfer, Crewe Alexandra will have to pay a compensation fee for the Magpies. This is understood to be the main problem in completing the deal to bring the 21-year-old to Crewe Alexandra. Manager Steve Davis, though, has retained his hope that the deal will be completed before the start of the new season.
The club has had a poor run of form in the pre-season friendly matches. They have lost against the likes of Blackburn and Aston Villa in the pre-season matches, but Davis is hoping that this does not adversely affect the team when they open the season against Rotherham United in the first week of August. The club has only two home matches in the first five fixtures. Hence, they will be straightaway under pressure to get three points, and the arrival of Inman would certainly help the club get a victory in the opening match.
Davies, though, has confirmed that Inman is not expected to start the first match because he does not have a lot of match fitness.
“We are not that close yet, we still have a bit to do, it’s ongoing. I will speak to the chairman and see what we can do in the near future which will be, who knows, a week, two weeks. Hopefully less than that. He’s not very fit to be fair, he has a lot to do he is way behind the other lads are. The tests show he is quite a way behind,” said the Crewe Alexandra manager.