Leeds United are in the market for players and are in dire need of attacking reinforcements in the January transfer window. The club are considering several options as they firm up their plans over the next few weeks.
Daniel Farke is under intense pressure to save his job at Leeds after losing five of their last six Premier League games. The club are looking at potential replacements, but no one has been lined up yet.
Given their current form and the punishing schedule ahead of them, there is a feeling that Leeds will have a new manager by the time the January transfer window opens.
However, regardless of who is in charge of the team in 2026, it is apparent that Leeds need players and adding a striker to their squad is believed to be one of their priorities.
Striker opens up on potential Leeds return in the January transfer window
Joe Gelhardt has been the best player at Hull City this season, scoring eight goals and registering three assists in 16 appearances in the Championship.
His performances have led to suggestions that he could return to Leeds in January, as the club do have an option to recall him from his loan at Hull.
The forward insisted that he has yet to hear anything from Leeds regarding a potential return to Elland Road in the winter transfer window.
He stressed that he is leaving speculation over his future for his agent to handle, and for now, he is happy to remain a Hull player this season.
“I got asked this the other day. I haven’t heard anything from Leeds, to be fair, about a recall,” Gelhardt told Sky Sports News.
“There might be a recall option, but I leave that up to my agent. I don’t really focus on that. I’m just focused on playing football.
“At the minute, I’m a Hull City player, so I’m proud to wear the shirt whenever I put it on, and I’ll continue to do that.”
A Leeds return is unlikely at the moment
Gelhardt is loving life at Hull, where he has a manager who trusts him, and he is finally realising the obvious potential he showed early in his time at Leeds.
| Competition 🏆 | Matches 🏟️ | Goals ⚽ | Assists 🟢 | Minutes ⏱️ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Championship | 16 | 8 | 2 | 1,201′ |
| EFL Cup | 1 | – | 1 | 76′ |
| Total | 17 | 8 | 3 | 1,277′ |
He looked like a Premier League player when he featured for Leeds in the top flight. However, everything changed under Daniel Farke, who showed little to no faith in him.
The forward is unlikely to want to return to the environment where he felt stifled and had no confidence from the manager.
Hull have already revealed that they want to sign the striker on a permanent deal next summer, and Leeds are expected to command a good fee from his sale.
However, things could change if Farke is sacked in the next few weeks, and Leeds bring in a manager who trusts Gelhardt’s talent and ability.
Leeds do have the recall option, but it is unlikely to be enforced if the player himself does not want to return to Leeds in the winter window.
