Long-term plans at Leeds United very much revolve around Joe Gelhardt as he heads up to Sunderland on loan for the rest of the season. The Whites are keen to stress the 20-year-old is a key part of their future despite sanctioning this temporary switch.
Gelhardt will now hope to play a big part in the Black Cats’ remaining 18 league matches as well as whatever may come in the play-offs. Tony Mowbray’s side are ninth in the Championship, one point outside the top six.
As highly as Gelhardt is rated at Elland Road, game time has been hard to come by this season. While he has made a very credible 19 appearances in all competitions, there’s only been four starts and fewer minutes than Mateusz Klich, Patrick Bamford or Luis Sinisterra despite their own various obstacles under Jesse Marsch.
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Brenden Aaronson, Rodrigo, Jack Harrison, Wilfried Gnonto, Crysencio Summerville, Sinisterra and Bamford are all jostling for those limited chances in the frontline. That was before the addition of club-record signing Georginio Rutter too.
A Leeds statement said: "With the form of Rodrigo, the return to fitness of Patrick Bamford and the arrival of Georginio Rutter, Gelhardt has now been allowed to make a temporary switch in order to gain regular first-team football, but very much remains part of the club’s long-term plans."
Rather than waste weekends as an unused substitute or with the under-21s in Premier League 2, Gelhardt now has a chance of regular, meaningful game time in the second tier. Former club Wigan Athletic were thought to have clinched the striker’s signature, but Sunderland swooped late on to nudge ahead before the Latics then sacked their boss Kolo Toure.
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