Joe Gelhardt sends two-word message as Leeds United contract news emerges
Joe Gelhardt has sent a two-word message on social media to Charlie Cresswell after the defender signed a contract extension at Leeds United.
The club officially announced (1 August) Cresswell’s four-year extension after emerging as a quality defensive talent following his loan spell at Millwall last season.
Gelhardt took to Instagram to support his teammate with two simple words: “Deserved mukka” after the 20-year-old Leeds academy graduate committed his future to the club.
Deserved
For football fans, there is something special about seeing an academy graduate rise through the ranks and earn a place in the first team. While Leeds’ relegation to the Championship certainly helped Cresswell’s acceleration, his quality loan at The Den last season more than merits the club’s commitment to him.
He has clearly proven himself to be popular. Geldhart finds himself in a similar position to Cresswell in that they both enjoyed good Championship loans last season, in Gelhardt’s save Sunderland were the benefactor of his attacking threat.
Cresswell himself became injured while at Millwall, with an eye socket causing him to be sidelined for a number of weeks during the club’s push for a playoff spot.
While Millwall were unsuccessful in the end, Cresswell delivered on all fronts including goal-scoring. The Englishman scored a brace against Stoke on the season’s opening day, showing his quality across the pitch.
Cresswell went through some self-confessed maturing while on loan. He told the Yorkshire Evening Post (25 July): “I just felt like I calmed down really, I felt like I wanted to impress so badly that I tried too hard [to begin with] so in the end, I just came to [the conclusion] myself and just said: ‘Right, you’re going to calm down and let my ability come to the surface’, and that’s what seemed to happen. And everything kind of just gradually showed, just kind of flowed, really.”
But for now, Leeds fans will be happy to see him commit his future to the club, and having the support of his teammates could go a long way in creating a good atmosphere in the dressing room as they push for promotion.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites are reportedly in the running to sign an eight-goal striker after a successful Championship loan.