Hull City want to agree a permanent deal with Leeds United for striker Joe Gelhardt, and reunite him with the club he helped win promotion to the Premier League back in May.
Gelhardt was on the verge of joining Birmingham City, but the Tigers are in discussions with their Premier League rivals to sign their former loan favourite.
The forward, who bagged 15 goals for City last season, including the crucial second in the 2-0 play-off semi-final win at Millwall, would sign a long-term contract at the MKM Stadium.
City had held lengthy internal discussions throughout the summer about whether to pursue a move for the 24-year-old Liverpudlian, and it was felt they could make a move later in the window, after they’d secured other targets; however, they’ve now decided to try and get it wrapped up before he goes elsewhere.
JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Latest Hull City news and analysis on our Hull Live FB page
Boss Sergej Jakirovic had made it clear that Gelhardt was one of his top transfer targets, though it looked like the popular forward would end up at St Andrew’s.
Gelhardt was on the cusp of signing for the Blues, and though there was rumoured interest from Wrexham, the second city was his destination until the Tigers stepped in and will now try to strike a deal with the former Wigan Athletic star, having his heart set on a permanent return to East Yorkshire.
Over two loan spells from the Elland Road club, Gelhardt played 60 times in Black and Amber, scoring 20 times and notching six assists, becoming a firm favourite.
City are working on getting the deal tied up with Leeds United, and if they can come to a swift resolution, it’s hoped Gelhardt could be in the squad to face Nice on Saturday in the Tigers’ final friendly of pre-season.
As reported on Tuesday morning, both Nobel Mendy and Lucas Herrington are due in the city to complete the formalities of their respective moves, and it’s expected they will have their unveiling in the next 24 hours.
Elsewhere, the saga involving Leon Bailey and Aston Villa looks like taking another twist. City and Jakirovic were expecting the deal to finally be completed on Monday, but once again, there’s a feeling of frustration at the MKM Stadium that things beyond their control have changed again.
Here at Hull Live , we are dedicated to bringing you the best Hull City coverage and analysis. Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest City news by joining our free WhatsApp group.
You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe. You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day’s biggest stories.