Rangers, Portsmouth and Stoke City plotting January transfer move for Leeds United player | OneFootball

Rangers, Portsmouth, Stoke City and Plymouth Argyle are all keen on Leeds United's Joe Gelhardt.

Rangers, Stoke City, Portsmouth and Preston are among a host of clubs who are looking to sign Leeds United’s Joe Gelhardt in the January window.

The 22-year-old was highly-rated at Elland Road after he joined from Wigan Athletic as a teenager, with Gelhardt impressing at times under Marcelo Bielsa.

However, the past few years have been tougher for the attacker, including the current campaign, as Gelhardt has made just two league appearances for Daniel Farke’s side, although it should be said that injuries have hindered him.

Joe Gelhardt transfer latest

Nevertheless, it seems as though Gelhardt is way down the pecking order for the Whites right now, so a January move could be on the cards, with the Yorkshire Evening Post revealing that there is plenty of interest in the player.

They claim that Rangers, Pompey, Stoke, Plymouth Argyle, Preston and two clubs from Belgium have all registered their interest in Gelhardt ahead of the New Year.

Crucially, it's stated that the forward wants to move, so there is an expectation that a loan switch will be sorted when the window opens.

But, it seems unlikely that Gelhardt will depart permanently, as he has a deal at Elland Road that runs until 2027, so it may not be financially realistic for a club to sign him.

Plus, the report adds that Leeds would like to see Gelhardt perform well out on loan in a bid to increase his value after a tough few years.

Joe Gelhardt needs to move for his career

As mentioned, there was a lot of excitement about Gelhardt during his first 12 to 18 months at Leeds.

The club paid a fee of around £1m for the player when he was 18, so it was a decent outlay, particularly as he was a bargain due to Wigan’s financial position.

So, Gelhardt arrived with a decent reputation, and he justified that initially, as his powerful and fearless style saw him cause problems for the opposition - even at Premier League level.

Yet, for whatever reason, he hasn’t kicked on in the way that many expected, but it’s important to remember that he is still a young player, so he can’t be written off.

With that in mind, a loan move would suit all parties, and for Gelhardt, it’s simply about finding a club that will give him the minutes on the pitch that he needs to express himself.

Whether he can do that at a club like Rangers, for example, remains to be seen, but you can be sure that Gelhardt will prioritise somewhere that will give him a chance to play.

Joe Gelhardt can flourish in the Championship

Following on from that, it makes sense that the likes of Stoke, Plymouth and Portsmouth are all monitoring Gelhardt, as he does have the ability to do well at this level.

All three clubs could do with more attacking quality, and Gelhardt would be seen as a low-risk move in January that may pay off in style if he fulfils his potential.