Credit: Imago

Josh Edwards

Thu 21 May 2026 17:10, UK

Leeds United will have a decision to make on the future of Joe Gelhardt.

But for now, the Leeds loanee will be fixated on helping his side achieve promotion to the Premier League ahead of Saturday’s play-off final.

It has been confirmed that Hull will face Middlesbrough in the final, after Southampton had their appeal rejected.

Having scored in the semi-final, the Tigers will be hoping for a similar impact from Gelhardt at Wembley.

And depending on the result, Gelhardt’s future at Elland Road is likely to become clear ahead of the summer transfer window.

What’s next for Joe Gelhardt?

Gelhardt has enjoyed an excellent campaign for Hull in the Championship, with the Leeds loanee having scored 14 times and registered four assists.

It’s his best return in senior football by some margin, with his second-best campaign having been back in 2022-23 when he registered six goal involvements on loan at Sunderland.

His impact has been crucial to Hull’s success this season, and if they are victorious at Wembley, there is every chance that they will make the move permanent.

At 24 years old, he is likely to relish the chance to showcase his worth in the Premier League if the offer comes around.

However, even if they are to fall on defeat, there may still be a route to the top flight for Gelhardt, and one of them could still be in regard to Spygate.

Spygate controversy could resurface under one condition

Plenty has been made of Southampton’s removal from the play-offs, as well as the decision to reinstate Middlesbrough.

But almost nothing has been made of the impact it has had on Hull, who have been left with just two days to prepare for the final, against a team that failed to win either of the legs in the semi-final.

Hull have already been reported to have considered legal advice with a view to getting promoted to the Premier League automatically, and the general feeling is they could revisit that stance if they fall to defeat.

Should that fail, there may still be a future at Elland Road for Gelhardt, who is more than deserving of a chance at the club he signed for five years ago.