Joe Gelhardt to seal Leeds United summer exit after developments at Elland Road
Leeds United will already be thinking ahead to the summer transfer window, and Daniel Farke has a decision to make over Joe Gelhardt’s future.
The forward joined Hull City on loan at the start of the 2025/26 campaign, and he played a crucial role in establishing the Tigers as surprise play-off contenders before suffering a calf injury in December.
Hull boss Sergej Jakirovic even labelled Gelhardt as a ‘special’ player after watching him plunder 10 goals in 19 Championship appearances, with such form sparking the possibility of him returning to Elland Road early.
But Gelhardt has insisted he’s ‘happy’ at Hull, and when he returns to full fitness towards the end of January, the 23-year-old will have dreams of firing his side into the top six.
⚽️ @HullCity forward Joe Gelhardt is the @SkyBet Championship Goal of the Month winner for October! 👏#EFL | #SkyBetChampionship pic.twitter.com/TgGor3WOLZ
— Sky Bet Championship (@SkyBetChamp) November 21, 2025
Acun Ilicali wants permanent Joe Gelhardt transfer
Sometimes players fit into a club perfectly, and ever since the Leeds loanee stepped into the MKM Stadium, he has looked at home.
Unsurprisingly, Jakirovic has already outlined his desire to sign Gelhardt permanently, and this has been backed up by Hull chairman Acun Ilicali.
| Joe Gelhardt’s 2025/26 Championship stats |
| 19 appearances |
| 10 goals |
| 2 assists |
| 2.5 shots per game |
| 2 big chances created |
| 21% goal conversion |
“Gelhardt is a special boy,” Ilicali told Hull Live. “The fans know the story about how much he pushed to come here, plus how much he sacrificed to come back to Hull City.
“I think Gelhardt is a special person, and for us, our target is to be with him permanently, so he’s our own player. Of course, it is not something that is easy for us, but Jared and I did crazy things last summer, and I can say that we are on form, and I give us a good chance.
“I believe that we have the strength and power to manage, to succeed, to bring Joe Gelhardt into our family permanently.”
Hull are currently under a transfer embargo, meaning they can’t sign players for fees until next summer, but supporters are hoping that Ilicali splashes the cash on Gelhardt.
Gelhardt has surely played his final game for Leeds
When Leeds were struggling in the Premier League’s bottom three heading into December, there was talk of Gelhardt returning to Elland Road in the summer if they suffered relegation.
But since then, the Whites have gone seven games unbeaten to open up an eight-point buffer on the bottom three.
As it stands, Farke’s men look on course to avoid relegation, and if they do, Gelhardt has no future at the club.
The powerful forward was frozen out of the manager’s plans heading into the Premier League, and the only chance of him playing again for Leeds is if they go down to the Championship, which is looking unlikely.