Peter Lynch

Thu 27 July 2023 11:40, UK

Leeds United attacker Joe Gelhardt could follow the likes of fellow forwards Rodrigo and Brenden Aaronson in leaving Elland Road this summer.

The young attacker is reportedly being watched by Serie A club Lecce, with the Italians adding the 21-year-old to their list of potential forwards to sign this summer, according to CalcioLecce (23 July).

And the striker may just have added fuel to the fire with his latest comments, whereby he has revealed that a talk has yet to be had with new Whites manager Daniel Farke.

“I haven’t really had much of an individual chat to be fair,” said Gelhardt, as quoted by the Yorkshire Evening Post.

“Hopefully I’ve just to try and prove to him that I can get into the team and if he plays me I’ve got to do what I can to stay in the team.

“So for me it’s all about just giving my 100 per cent and hoping to play.”

Perhaps the new man in the dugout simply hasn’t had time to talk to all of his players given his very lengthy to-do list since arriving at the club.

Another possibility is that Farke is not the type of manager that has such talks with his squad, and that Gelhardt is not the only one that the German hasn’t spoken to at Elland Road.

There is, however, the very real possibility that the lack of face-to-face time between the two means that Farke is giving the player the cold shoulder, and that his days at Elland Road are numbered.

Given the lack of options available to the boss in the final third, that shouldn’t be the case, unless of course he delves into the transfer market for a new attacker before the window closes.

Should Farke be considering new options, the pressure is now on Gelhardt to perform in the club’s final two matches of pre-season against Nottingham Forest and Hearts.

Unfortunately, however, he won’t be the only player in that position aiming to impress the man in the Leeds dugout.

In other Leeds United news, one journalist has slammed a Whites player who “struggled” in the recent loss against Monaco.