Joe Gelhardt exit from Leeds United now inevitable amid Rangers transfer news
Joe Gelhardt leaving Leeds United on a loan deal in January is the best move for all parties and could result in his permanent exit from Elland Road.
Gelhardt is already beginning to attract interest over a temporary move away from LS11 in the coming transfer window [Yorkshire Evening Post, 26 November], with Rangers among the sides interested.
Clubs on both sides of the Scottish border are keen on the 22-year-old forward, who has made just three appearances this season, and while Gelhardt remains under contract until 2027, he appears to have no long-term future at Elland Road.
Gelhardt's previous loan move to Sunderland in early 2023 didn't result in a permanent transfer away, but with his first-team opportunities waning, his next switch seems to be make-or-break.
Joe Gelhardt's time is surely up at Leeds United
There's no denying that when on form and given a consistent run of first-team minutes, Gelhardt still has the ability to make a difference at Premier League, and especially Championship level for the Whites.
However, those minutes have been hard to come by since his extraordinary breakthrough season in 2021/22, with only 16 appearances made since United's relegation back to the second tier in 2023.
That's less than the 20 matches he played on loan at Sunderland in the second half of Leeds' relegation season, and shows just how far down the Elland Road pecking order Gelhardt has fallen since.
A move to the likes of Celtic or Rangers would give Gelhardt the chance to play much more regularly for teams also plying their trades in Europe, and that could open up all sorts of possibilities for the striker.
Having a further two years on his contract could complicate the possibility of a permanent transfer to either of the Old Firm clubs, but should Gelhardt impress domestically and on the continent, clubs across Europe could soon be queuing up.
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