Leeds United have seemingly lowered their asking price for striker Joe Gelhardt, with the Whites prepared to sanction his departure this summer.
Gelhardt spent the second half of the season on loan at Yorkshire rivals Hull City and became an instant hit in the East Riding, bagging five crucial goals to help the struggling Tigers stay in the Championship.
The Liverpudlian was a firm hit on the terraces and in the dressing room, linking up with former Wigan Athletic teammates Charlie Hughes and Kyle Joseph. The duo, along with other key members of the City squad, were keen to see the 23-year-old return to the MKM Stadium next season.
Leeds are willing to sell Gelhardt following their promotion to the Premier League, allowing them to cash in on a player they signed from the DW Stadium in 2019.
Before his move to City in January, Gelhardt had amassed just nine minutes of football at Elland Road and had been farmed out on loan to Sunderland previously.
Ruben Selles had spoken glowingly of the forward and had been unusually forthcoming about his desire to sign Gelhardt this summer, if a deal could be struck, most likely on a season-long loan.
Initially, any thoughts of a permanent deal were thought to be extremely unlikely, with Leeds believed to have wanted upwards of £7m to £8m for the forward, but that somewhat unrealistic valuation has been downgraded to a more feasible £3m, which could see City in the hunt, though the fact his wages have doubled following Leeds’ promotion presents a big challenge to any club in the second tier.
Given his positive impact at City, there is no shortage of interest in him from clubs across the Championship who believe his spell at the MKM Stadium has re-ignited his career, and so there will be a battle to sign him.
Gelhardt had been viewed as an important club signing, like Oli McBurnie, but the imminent arrival of new head coach Sergej Yakirovic could have an impact. Naturally, the new head coach will have his own ideas and targets, but a fresh pursuit of Gelhardt cannot be ruled out, given the club’s desperation for attacking arrivals. Financially, however, it could still prove a step too far.
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