"Already on the phone" - Joe Gelhardt, Leeds United exit verdict | OneFootball

FLW's Leeds United fan pundit has tipped Joe Gelhardt to leave on loan in the January transfer window.

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…

There are likely to be some Leeds United first-team squad members who head out of the club in January, with Joe Gelhardt among those tipped for a loan move.

Promotion to the Premier League is the priority for Leeds every season as a second tier club, but especially after finishing third in the Championship with an impressive 90 points last season, which saw them narrowly miss out on automatic promotion.

On paper at least, it appears as though they have a group of players that will be one of the favourites to go up automatically. That's despite the losses of key players, but some of their replacements have been exceptional to begin the 2024/25 campaign.

The Whites do not have the largest squad in the league, but there are still players too far down the pecking order wanting to go and play senior football or win game time elsewhere if they are struggling to get into Daniel Farke's plans consistently.

Not every player can play their part if they are seen as back up or depth in some areas, and some of them need to start playing more often, be that with Leeds or elsewhere.

The Leeds player most in need of a loan move in January

We asked FLW’s Leeds United fan pundit Kris Smith for his thoughts on who is most in need of a loan move in January, with a number of younger players on Leeds' books in need of development through senior football and regular game time.

He said: "There are youngsters from Leeds' U-21 set up who are starting to break into Leeds' senior squad that I would argue need a loan move.

"Like Charlie Crew, who recently made his debut and needs a lot more senior exposure, and James Debayo, who looked really good in pre-season but hasn't played a minute yet.

"I don't think he is ever going to this season. But Joe Gelhardt, for me, is the standout candidate that is crying out for a loan move.

"He's barely played at all under Farke since relegation, and I don't see that situation changing anytime soon.

"It's obviously a real shame, because when Gelhardt broke through under Marcelo Bielsa in the Premier League, he looked like a generational talent.

"The way his career has just not kicked on and has basically regressed since is a real shame for him, but given what we know about the talents that he does possess, it doesn't just go away from him.

"You would imagine that there is a decent queue of clubs lining up to take him for half the season, and they are probably already on the phone to Leeds by now.

"I'd say that Gelhardt's career is in danger of stagnating at Leeds, but that was the case two years ago and nothing has changed since.

"So, a loan move is going to be vital, heading into January."

Gelhardt joined Leeds from Wigan Athletic for a reported fee of £1 million, and having initially linked up with Leeds' U-21 team after joining, there was much excitement surrounding him and his potential. He could also have been forgiven for thinking he would have a larger role with Leeds in recent years following relegation.

He may wish for a fresh start this January, as opposed to languishing within the reserves or on the fringes of the first-team with very little game time to speak of. His long-term future in West Yorkshire is unclear, with his development stalling over the last couple of seasons.

However, there is promise there, and the club could instead seek a loan in order to get his career back on track, and he is surely in a position where the short-term has to be regular football. Beyond this season, Gelhardt is at a crossroads and must determine what is best for his career.

That is especially true when he is unable to consistently be a part of matchday squads, let alone come off the bench consistently. There have been reports that he has his eyes on a move away from Leeds in the January transfer window. MOT Leeds News have stated that Gelhardt has made the decision to leave the club on loan this winter.

With a total of nine minutes played in the Championship in the 2024/25 season, it is safe to say that it has not been the desired start to the season for Gelhardt. His only two appearances came in a 1-1 draw with Norwich and a 2-0 away victory at Sheffield Wednesday.

Injury has since seen him come out of the matchday squad altogether, with the 22-year-old struggling to build any kind of rhythm.