QPR urged to join Rangers and Stoke City in Leeds United transfer battle | OneFootball

QPR's FLW fan pundit has urged his side to join the race for Leeds United's Joe Gelhardt

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…

QPR have been encouraged to join the likes of Rangers and Portsmouth in the race for Leeds United's Joe Gelhardt, who is poised to seal a January departure away from Elland Road.

A significant January transfer window awaits QPR, and they'll need to get it right when the time comes in order to stake a claim for retaining their Championship status.

The R's were lifted by Wednesday night's well-fought 2-0 victory away to relegation rivals Cardiff City, although they're still in the bottom three and look likely to remain battling against the drop for the foreseeable future.

It's been a bitterly disappointing season thus far for QPR, who have failed to deliver upon relative expectation while deteriorating under the stewardship of Marti Cifuentes.

Even though Zan Celar finally managed to open his account by netting a stunning brace at the Cardiff City Stadium, palpable concern remains about where the goals are going to come from across the remainder of the season - but it will be hoped that the Slovenian frontman has got the monkey off his back and can now begin to find his feet.

Celar still has some work to do in order to win over the QPR faithful, who will surely be banging the drum for an additional striker to arrive at the club once the January window opens and that could come in the form of Gelhardt.

Transfer interest in Leeds United's Joe Gelhardt emerges ahead of January

According to a recent report from the Yorkshire Evening Post, Gelhardt is looking to seek an exit in the next transfer window after finding regular match minutes hard to come by once again under Daniel Farke this season.

The 22-year-old striker is currently sidelined through injury, although he's often been a fixture on the bench yet has racked up just nine minutes of Championship action for the promotion hopefuls.

Leeds were unwilling to entertain a loan exit for Gelhardt last summer, which "disappointed" a host of clubs as per the report, where it is also claimed that up to 10 sides had expressed an interest in his services.

However, the report adds that some of those clubs, including two in Belgium alongside Preston North End, Stoke City, Plymouth Argyle and Rangers have retained interest in striking a loan deal for January.

QPR urged to join Rangers, Portsmouth in transfer race for Leeds United's Joe Gelhardt

Given the calibre of clubs interested in Gelhardt, his likely availability for a loan move and, of course, QPR's well-documented struggles infront of goal this season, FLW asked our resident R's fan pundit, Louis Moir, if he believes his club should be joining the aforementioned suitors in the hunt for the Whites forward.

"Joe Gelhardt is a name that has come about for a lot of Championship clubs in recent times," Louis told Football League World.

"He obviously hasn't played a lot for Leeds. I think he's a decent little player, and I'd be looking at him.

"Someone who's played at this level would be beneficial to us and he wouldn't be any worse because realistically, if we want better options, we're going to have to spend money and I don't think we've got that money to spend considering the amount we spent in the summer.

"It's either going to be loans or players who are available on a free transfer. If you're looking at it for us, there are better options but we aren't going to be able to go and get them so he'd be one I'd look at for sure.

"He would definitely give us a different option that we've been crying out for, a bit more of a nippy and pacier forward which we should've signed in the summer. But if we could get him on loan or for a very small amount, why not? I'd be looking at him in January."