Daniel Farke interaction with Joe Gelhardt spotted amid Leeds United exit speculation ahead of deadline day
Graham Smyth noticed Daniel Farke joking with Joe Gelhardt in an “unseen moment” amid speculation over the striker’s future at Leeds United.
The 22-year-old forward has been somewhat of an outcast this season, having only been handed two Championship starts so far. Celtic and Rangers have registered their interest in the Leeds man, as per Dean Jones.
However, a positive moment was spotted between the two during the Whites’s 1-1 draw with Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup Fourth Round on Saturday (28 January), as the manager failed to save the player from a wayward Plymouth clearance.
“Farke joking with Gelhardt after failing to save the substitute from a wayward Plymouth clearance early on in the game,” he wrote for Yorkshire Evening Post on Sunday (28 January).
Hope it doesn’t end sour
It has been a disappointing return to Elland Road for Gelhardt who spent the second half of last season at Sunderland. The young striker scored three goals in 20 appearances before his six-month loan ended.
Having only made eight appearances since, scoring one goal in the EFL Cup, Farke has made it clear that there is little room for Gelhardt at the club currently.
Considering Georginio Rutter and Joel Piroe’s calibre, and Patrick Bamford’s stellar form in recent matches, the former Wigan man barely gets a look in. The real rub of salt in the wounds is seeing 20-year-old Mateo Fernandez preferred as a substitute ahead of him.
A loan deal this month would be ideal for the frustrated striker, but that is not to say that contemplating a permanent move is completely off the table for Leeds. There will be a reason why Gelhardt has not been allowed to make an impact, one that the fans know he is capable of.
Farke’s exile of Charlie Cresswell is proof of this, with the player’s attitude not persuading the coach that the player is ready to be picked. It could be a similar situation with Gelhardt.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites are plotting a double raid on one Premier League club this month.
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