Daniel Farke will be reluctant to lose anyone from his Leeds United squad in January but needs to make an exception when it comes to one player’s future.
The winter window is just over a month away from opening and is likely to once again prove crucial in the battle to finish in the Championship’s top two.
Leeds, Sheffield United, Burnley, Sunderland and even Middlesbrough all look as though they have genuine hopes of automatic promotion, which makes for a potentially manic second half of the season.
Farke already has one of the smallest squads in the division as it is and so allowing it to become weaker is only going to disadvantage them against sides likely to strengthen.
Leeds are likely to sign at least one player in January with the most likely position number 10 after Farke’s wish to sign one in the summer.
Farke should sanction Joe Gelhardt Leeds exit
Joe Gelhardt has seen his development at Elland Road stagnate massively in the 16 months Farke has been in charge.
Gelhardt last started a Championship game in August 2023 and despite being a long way down the pecking order, Farke has refused to sanction an exit in any of the last three windows.
10 clubs from the Championship and across Europe wanted Gelhardt in the summer but even after deciding to keep him at the club, game time has been even more of a struggle, with just nine minutes of league football all season.
After another wasted few months of his career, Gelhardt is keen on a loan exit in January and there really is no excuse this time for Farke not to sanction it.
Gelhardt is 22 now and so can no longer be considered as a young player ready to burst onto the scene, but more so one that is simply in desperate need of playing so he can return to the form that prompted Alan Shearer to once call him ‘magic‘.
Farke has insisted Gelhardt’s attitude remains excellent behind-the-scenes and if that really is the case then he should grant him his wish.
It could also open up a space in the squad needed for Leeds to go and sign a box office number 10 to get them over the line, with Manchester City’s James McAtee linked.
Who are interested in signing Leeds’ Gelhardt?
As mentioned, several clubs were interested in the 22-year-old during the summer and that does not appear to have changed.
Rangers are arguably the headline name to have been mentioned as a potential destination, but the troubles at the Scottish side make that one to avoid.
Preston North End, Portsmouth, Stoke City, Plymouth Argyle and two unnamed Belgian clubs are also keen, all of which would represent better options.
Gelhardt could even link up with Leeds teammate Sam Greenwood at the former, and game time is something he would have no problem securing at Deepdale.
Receive a digest of our best Leeds content each week direct to your mailbox
