"The kind of player we need" - Wrexham told to make move for 22-year-old in January over Patrick Bamford | OneFootball

FLW's Red Dragons fan pundit thinks Joe Gelhardt is a more realistic signing than Bamford in January

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Wrexham have been urged to sign out-of-favour Leeds United striker Joe Gelhardt in the January transfer window, amid reports of their interest in his services, with his capture deemed a more realistic one than fellow Whites frontman Patrick Bamford, who has also been linked to the Red Dragons.

England youth international Gelhardt has been stuck watching on from the sidelines at Leeds so far this season, with a lack of game-time set to force a January exit, either on loan or possibly even on a permanent deal, and Wrexham would surely love to add a striker of his ability and potential to their ranks as they seek promotion to the Championship this season.

The 22-year-old has made just three appearances in all competitions this term, with no game-time since the start of October, but has previous experience in the Championship and is highly-rated across the EFL, with recent reports suggesting interest in his signature ahead of January from League One high-flyers Wrexham, as well as numerous Championship sides and Scottish giants Rangers.

31-year-old Bamford has also been similarly underused by Leeds boss Daniel Farke this season, and his signature would be a real coup for the third-tier Red Dragons, so it does seem unlikely that he would drop down a division to find more form, as he will surely have real interest from Championship teams if he is to move on.

Wrexham told to keep tabs on Joe Gelhardt over Patrick Bamford ahead of January

Previous reports had revealed that Gelhardt hopes to seal a temporary move away from the Whites during the winter window, and the Yorkshire Evening Post have since claimed that Plymouth Argyle and Portsmouth, along with Rangers, Stoke City, Preston North End and two clubs from Belgium, had all registered their interest in his signature with January fast approaching.

Football League World exclusively revealed QPR's interest in the ex-Wigan Athletic man earlier this month, while Football Insider have also previously reported that the frontman is keen on a move to Scotland with Rangers, but Wrexham are the latest club to be linked with a move for his services, after transfer expert Graeme Bailey told the Wrexham Insider that the Red Dragons are fans of the 22-year-old.

Meanwhile, Football Insider revealed in October that Bamford was planning to leave Leeds after growing frustrated with his lack of minutes, and new reports from TEAMtalk have suggested that Wrexham, alongside Italian side Genoa, are interested in signing him in January.

FLW's Wrexham fan pundit, Liam Grice, believes that the potential signing of Gelhardt is definitely more likely than Bamford making the move to the Racecourse Ground next month, and has urged the Red Dragons to stay in the race for the 22-year-old when the window opens soon, after we asked him if Wrexham should try and go for him, and if it is a more realistic move than one for Bamford.

“Joe Gelhardt is certainly a more realistic signing than Patrick Bamford, that’s for sure.” Liam told FLW.

“Gelhardt is at the level where he could make an impact on this team. He’d still cost a lot, both in transfer budget and in wages.

“There will still be a lot of competition for his signature too.

“He is the kind of player we need. He’s versatile, and can play in that attacking midfield role, as well as at striker if we need him to.

“He is certainly a player we should be keeping an eye on because of his versatility, as well as his actual quality, for sure.”

Wrexham could struggle to sign either Joe Gelhardt or Patrick Bamford

Gelhardt is certainly a man in demand right now, and after a breakthrough into the Whites' Premier League squad back in 2021, then a relatively fruitful loan spell at Sunderland in the 2022/23 campaign, he now finds his career stagnating at just 22-years-old.

Regardless of his lack of chances over the last 18 months, he will surely want to stay in the second-tier, rather than go back to League One, where he was with Wigan prior to his Leeds move in 2020.

Gelhardt returned to Elland Road last summer with Leeds back in the second-tier and Farke at the helm, but made just 13 appearances and was given two league starts, so it was a shock to many to see him stay at the club for his term, and his chances so far have been at a real premium, with just 72 minutes in all competitions up to now.

While Wrexham would certainly love to bring in a player of his pedigree and potential to the club to help with their League One promotion push this season, and Gelhardt would be an undoubted starter in their side, the same would apply to the likes of QPR, Plymouth or Portsmouth, who are all in desparate need of more goals to survive in the second-tier.

The chance to prove himself in the Championship once again would surely appeal more than six months in the third-tier, despite the Red Dragons' obvious attraction due to their Hollywood ownership and general increased fanfare around the club.

As for Bamford, he has made just nine appearances in all competitions up to now this season, with just the one start so far, after being overtaken by the likes of Mateo Joseph and Joel Piroe in terms of Daniel Farke's main striking options.

Wrexham have been touted as a possible destination for the 31-year-old in the new year, with a much better guarantee of game-time and a chance to revive his stagnated career, but while they may be near the top of the third-tier and backed by well-known Hollywood owners, the ex-England international reported £40,000-a-week wages would still surely be a step too far for their League One finances.

Whites boss Farke has also claimed that the club are under "no pressure" to make any sales over the next five weeks, and insisted that Bamford is "always a good option" in the Championship when given a chance, as shown by a fine run of form that saw him net seven goals in 12 games across January and February earlier this year.

Where Gelhardt ends up at the end of next month remains to be seen, but at the very least, it does seem as if he will quite certainly not be a Leeds player for much longer, while Bamford looks a lot more likely to stay, and a move to North Wales can probably be all but ruled out now.