Rangers chasing loan deal for little-seen Leeds attacker as source also tips £10m man to depart

A fading Leeds United star is reportedly a target for teams in the Championship, Scotland and further afield.

Leeds are pushing for promotion to the Premier League after falling at the final hurdle last season, losing an agonising Championship play-off final to Southampton at Wembley.

Daniel Farke’s team currently sit top of the English second-tier on goal difference and as they have a fairly settled starting XI, opportunities for some fringe players are few and far between.

One such player is Joe Gelhardt, who has made just three appearances for the Whites this season. He is behind Joel Piroe, Mateo Joseph, and Patrick Bamford in the attacking pecking order and that is unlikely to change this term.

The Yorkshire Evening Post claims up to 10 teams wanted to sign the 22-year-old on loan this summer, and now Rangers, Portsmouth, Stoke City, Plymouth Argyle, and two unnamed Belgian teams are reportedly interested in bringing him in on loan in January.

Gelhardt, who looks increasingly likely to leave Leeds even though his contract runs until 2027, is said to be enthusiastic about that possibility.

Incidentally, Graham Smyth of the YEP expects fellow forward Bamford, who was signed in 2018 for a fee worth up to £10m (€11.9m, $12.6m) and whose current terms expire in 2026, to leave Elland Road next summer if Leeds get promoted.

He said on the Inside Elland Road podcast: “In my head, next summer, Bamford leaves. That means Leeds will already be one down. I would probably be thinking we’ll get a number 9 but keep Piroe, very good finisher, as a sub and keep Mateo Joseph to develop.”

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‘It’s tough for Gelhardt’

Leeds boss Farke acknowledged that the last season or so has not been an easy time for the former Sunderland loanee. But the ex-Norwich City manager stressed that competition for places is fierce in the squad – and injuries have not helped Gelhardt’s cause, either.

The German said on Gelhardt this month: “Obviously Joffy was struggling also with a few minor injuries in the last weeks. It’s also tough, because he’s such a top class character and gives everything in each of the training sessions. I love to have him around. He’s homegrown. In each of the training sessions, he puts his heart really out. But the truth also, there’s lots of quality options in this position.

“He has played obviously also for us and for this club a bit more like a winger who comes inside. On the winger positions we have Daniel James, we have Manor Salomon, we have Largie Ramazani and Willy Gnonto.

“He has also played a bit like a like a like a striker a bit like a loose striker and we have there at the moment Joel Piroe, who has scored many goals, we’ve got Mateo Joseph and we must not forget Patrick Bamford right now, also with lots of lots of quality and a crucial player and thank God he’s on his way to stay fit and to gain his fitness back.

“I can’t always take four strikers with us. It’s tough for [Gelhardt], but I have to praise him for his attitude and his workload and training performances. So we also need this. And he has to make sure that he prepares himself for the moment when the chance will come. Sometimes there is a chance out of injuries, illnesses, bookings, or perhaps when a player has perhaps a poorer period and is not delivering. Then his time will come.”

Leeds jostle with Premier League sides

Leeds have reportedly joined the race to sign top Swedish talent Daniel Svensson, despite the likes of Liverpool being linked with him. 

The 22-year-old left-back, who can play in central midfield, is impressing for FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark and could be made available next year.

The Yorkshire outfit have allegedly put together an audacious bid to sign Manchester City midfielder James McAtee.

That is according to former Leeds goalkeeper Paul Robinson, but West Ham are also interested in the youngster.

The Elland Road side are said to also be tracking Gent left-back Archie Brown, but the Hammers, Tottenham, Chelsea, and Brentford are reportedly keeping tabs on him, too.

Gelhardt’s Leeds career on the wane