Sport nationLeeds United have agreed to let forward Joe Gelhardt join Hull City on a loan deal until the end of the season. The 22-year-old was absent from Leeds’ squad for their FA Cup match against Harrogate Town on Saturday, with the loan move expected to be confirmed within the next 48 hours.
Gelhardt has struggled to make an impact at Leeds since joining the club from Wigan in 2020. Despite being highly rated as a young player, he has found it difficult to break into the Leeds first team and has been limited to mostly cameo appearances off the bench.
In an effort to gain more playing time and experience, Gelhardt had a loan spell at Sunderland earlier in his career. However, he failed to make a significant difference at the Stadium of Light, and his time on Wearside was ultimately deemed unsuccessful.
Leeds manager Daniel Farke has shown little faith in Gelhardt, preferring other options such as Joel Piroe, Mateo Joseph, and Patrick Bamford up front. As a result, it makes sense for Gelhardt to move away from Leeds in search of regular playing time and a chance to revive his career.
Hull City, managed by Ruben Selles, are in need of a striker option, and Gelhardt may be able to provide the goalscoring threat they require. The Tigers have been struggling in the Championship, and the addition of a new striker could be just what they need to turn their season around.
If Gelhardt is successful during his loan spell at Hull City, it will be interesting to see how Leeds handle his situation in the summer. The Whites may choose to give him another chance to prove himself at Elland Road, or they may decide to let him go permanently.
For now, though, Gelhardt’s focus will be on making a positive impact at Hull City and helping the Tigers to achieve their goals for the rest of the season. With his loan move expected to be confirmed shortly, Gelhardt will be eager to get started and make the most of his opportunity in East Yorkshire.
Sport nation
Amina Umar