Joe Gelhardt is on the verge of completing a loan move to Hull City in the next day or so after Leeds United agreed to sanction a January loan move for the striker – and another could follow.
Daniel Farke said he had allowed Joe Gelhardt to have conversations with other clubs last week, but that the striker had yet to knock on his door. Gelhardt was then missing from Saturday’s FA Cup victory.
Little surprise Gelhardt was keen on leaving Leeds, given he has been the club’s fourth-choice striker ever since Daniel Farke arrived at Elland Road. Mateo Joseph, Joel Piroe and Patrick Bamford sit ahead of him.
Indeed, Gelhardt has only started one game for Leeds this season and that came in the form of the 3-0 defeat to Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup. Reports say Hull are now set to sign Gelhardt on loan.
Leeds United set to sanction second loan exit in coming days
On Saturday, there was the surprise inclusion of Ilia Gruev in the Leeds squad. Indeed, the Bulgarian even came off the bench late on during the 1-0 win over Harrogate Town as Largie Ramazani netted a winner.
Farke says he is expecting a quiet window at Elland Road, but EFL journalist Darren Witcoop reports that Gelhardt is not the only one to leave on loan Leeds with Wales international Charlie Crew set to join him.
Like Gelhardt, Crew has found appearances at a premium – only playing once at senior level despite being a part of the senior squad for a while. Gruev’s return sees Crew fall further down the Leeds pecking order.
Now, Witcoop says Crew will follow Gelhardt out on loan: “Hull are set to win the Championship race to sign Joe Gelhardt on loan. Teenage Welshman Charlie Crew is also expected to head out this month.”
What Ethan Ampadu has said about Charlie Crew this season
Of course, Crew is currently one of five Wales internationals currently residing at Elland Road. Karl Darlow started on Saturday for only the second time this season – and Stuart Dallas thinks Darlow should remain.
Then there is Joe Rodon and Dan James, as well as captain Ethan Ampadu. Ampadu is excited by Crew’s potential: “We know how good Charlie is as a player. We know his potential, we want him to reach that.”
Realistically though, Crew is only going to realise his potential when he finally gets game time. He has outgrown U21 football but is way down the pecking order and now, he is set to leave Leeds on loan.
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