Former Leeds United star Carlton Palmer has admitted that the decision from Joe Gelhardt to stay at Elland Road this summer left him surprised as he needed a move to play more football.
The 22-year-old striker made ten appearances in the Championship last season but only two of them came in the starting eleven.
The forward is down the pecking order of strikers this season as well and has made just one appearance from the bench in the Championship.
There was an expectation that the striker would try to get a move away from Leeds in the summer but Gelhardt stayed put and is part of Daniel Farke’s squad.
The striker’s decision to stay at Leeds has left some bemused as he has been struggling to get game time at Leeds under Farke.
Carlton Palmer insists that Joe Gelhardt is at that age where he needs to play football regularly
Palmer insisted that it was a bit of a shock to see Gelhardt stay at Leeds this summer as he is just not getting enough football at Elland Road at the moment.
The former White insisted that at his age, the forward needed to play more football to further develop his game and some clubs were interested in him.
He believes that not engineering a move away from Leeds was a mistake made by the striker’s representatives given what his career needs now.
“I’m surprised he didn’t leave Leeds this summer”, Palmer told the Football League World.
“Joe Geldhart finds himself in an unenviable position at the moment. He’s 22, and he’s getting very little game time at Leeds United. I’m surprised he didn’t leave Leeds this summer.
“There were previously last season, the likes of Ipswich Town, who were interested in him. The season before, he went on loan to Championship Sunderland, where he played 18 games and only scored three goals.
“I am surprised that him and his advisors haven’t sorted a move. He needs to play football, and he’s just not getting any game time and the years are ticking on.”
Palmer feels by the time the winter transfer window comes around, Gelhard will be looking to leave Leeds if he doesn’t play more in the coming months.
He added: “I’m sure his advisors now will be looking at it saying, listen, right, if he’s not getting game time, I think by the time we get to the Championship transfer window, they’ll look to get him out, whether it’s on loan or on a permanent deal.”
