One Leeds United man may be about to seal a quite long-awaited, and much-needed, Elland Road exit during the January transfer window.
The January transfer window opens in little over two weeks now. But for Daniel Farke and Leeds United, it could be quite a quiet month.
Speaking recently, Farke suggested Leeds United will do little business in January, which might make sense given the club’s decent strength in depth and the fact that a handful of players are returning from injury, or soon to do so.
One or two signings, perhaps loan signings, might be realistic. And it also looks like we could see some player exits from Leeds United in the winter window as well.
There are a handful of players in the first-team squad at Elland Road who need minutes; none more so than striker Joe Gelhardt.
He’s featured just twice in the Championship this season and hasn’t scored a league goal for the Whites since the 2021/22 season.
Carlton Palmer backs Joe Gelhardt to be a good fit for Wayne Rooney’s Plymouth Argyle
Leeds signed Gelhardt from Wigan Athletic in a deal worth around £1million in 2020.
He’s since scored just three goals in 57 total appearances for the Whites and now looks poised to leave the club in 2025.
QPR are keen on signing Gelhardt on a permanent deal but it’s thought that the Hoops can’t currently afford the deal.
Speaking to Football League World, though, pundit and former England midfielder Carlton Palmer has backed Wayne Rooney’s Plymouth Argyle to be a good fit for Gelhardt.
Palmer said: “There are a lot of good clubs for him. We’ve seen the problems that Wayne Rooney has got up front at Plymouth, so that would be a good move.
“As a centre-forward, to go and work with someone like Rooney would be fantastic. It’s not about where these teams are in the league now for Gelhardt, it’s about getting minutes under his belt.”
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Joe Gelhardt’s stance on possible Leeds United exit in January
Gelhardt is currently sidelined with a hip injury but thought to be available for a January move. Leeds United want a decent offer for Gelhardt, though, should they part ways with him on a permanent basis.
Another loan exit could be likely, with a move to a Championship side much lower down the table than Leeds likely on the cards.
And recently, it was revealed that Gelhardt is keen to leave Leeds United on loan in January and get some game time under his belt.
Like Palmer says, a move to Plymouth where game time will be readily available could be ideal, and working under a legendary striker in Rooney could be hugely beneficial for his development as well.
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