Joe Gelhardt has played just nine minutes of Championship football this season and his only start came in an EFL Cup game. The striker needs to leave Leeds United in the winter window to rekindle his career and the Whites are expected to accept loan offers in January. However, it must be essential that the 22-year-old gets his pick of his club if he leaves Elland Road.
Gelhardt is 22 and 72 minutes of football across three appearances is not good enough for his development at this stage of his career. However, it is certain that Daniel Farke doesn’t rate him and he desperately needs a move away from Elland Road in the January transfer window.
Scottish giants Rangers have their eyes on him but he is expected to move within the Championship and several clubs in the second tier of English football are interested in the striker.
Queens Park Rangers, Plymouth Argyle, Portsmouth, Preston North End and Stoke City are amongst the clubs who are considering getting their hands on Joe Gelhardt in the winter window.
However, Leeds are circumspect about loaning him to a Championship rival and the Whites are keen to ensure that the club do not get affected by his departure in any way.
Leeds must think about Gelhardt first
The Whites have a duty to ensure that Gelhardt’s departure doesn’t adversely affect the team but the club must prioritise the striker’s interest.
The 22-year-old striker’s career has stalled at Leeds and the club need to ensure that he gets to join the club he wants to move to in the winter window.
Gelhardt will prioritise playing football and the club who are prepared to offer him guarantees over minutes, the striker will choose them over other options.
Several Championship clubs chasing him and Leeds could find a way to ensure that Gelhardt gets the club he wants while also protecting their interest.
A simple clause in the loan agreement would prohibit Gelhardt from playing against Leeds during his loan spell away from Elland Road.
Gelhardt previously proved himself in the Championship and even had a solid loan spell at Sunderland last season and he is likely to prefer to play in England.
Leeds must have moved him on last summer
Joe Gelhardt returned to Leeds at the end of last season following an encouraging loan spell at Sunderland and was looking forward to the season.
Leeds should have had clear-the-air talks with the striker and his representatives over his future at the club in the summer and made a decision to move him on.
It was clear that Daniel Farke never really rated the young forward and the moment Mateo Joseph was preferred over him, it was certain that he was not going to get enough game time this season.
Yet, Leeds decided to hold on to him as cover for a manager who has very specific needs from a striker, which it seems Gelhardt can’t really match up to.
Leeds indecision over the young forward means Gelhardt’s career has stalled as he has rarely played this season under Farke and he has reached the crossroads.
The striker needs a move in January but anyone signing him would be banking on what he did previously rather than any recent evidence but clubs would want him to make an instant impact.
A move last summer would have allowed Gelhardt to start afresh at a new club where he could have had a solid pre-season and started the new campaign around a fresh atmosphere.
The forward will be under more pressure to perform immediately whichever club he joins on loan in the January transfer window.
