West Bromwich Albion are hoping to beat a host of clubs to the signature of Leeds United striker Joe Gelhardt, according to journalist Alan Nixon.
The 21-year-old is looking increasingly likely to leave Elland Road this month on a temporary deal after falling down the pecking order under manager Daniel Farke. The attacker spent the second half of last season on loan at Sunderland, despite being on the fringes of the Whites’ squad during the first half of the campaign.
He made 15 Premier League appearances before heading to the Stadium of Light – mainly as a substitute – but hit three goals in 20 outings for the Black Cats before returning to Yorkshire.
The youngster has suffered from injury problems this season but returned to the bench in the 3-0 win over Cardiff City yesterday. However, there are a number of interested parties, including league rivals Blackburn Rovers and Plymouth Argyle.
Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers are also keen on a move, although it is now claimed that West Brom have entered the fray as they look to cement their place in the play-off places. The experienced Andi Weimann is expected to make the switch to The Hawthorns from Bristol City, but manager Carlos Corberan is keen to add more attacking options to his squad.
Publicly, Leeds state that they would like Gelhardt – who has eight appearances to his name in all competitions this season – to stay put this month, but privately they are willing to do business should the terms prove beneficial. Nixon writes that a deal could be done should his wages be paid in full.
West Brom are in a head-to-head battle with Leeds in a bid to secure promotion to the Premier League, with six points currently separating the two clubs. Last season’s relegated club sit in fourth whilst the Baggies occupy fifth as they continue to exceed pre-season expectations.
The West Midlands outfit returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion yesterday with a 4-1 win over Blackburn. They travel to a rejuvenated Norwich City next weekend, where the Canaries are targeting a top six finish of their own.
Writer’s View
It will be interesting to see if Leeds would consider strengthening a direct promotion rival, especially one in which they could meet in the play-offs at the end of the season. Whilst Gelhardt would be unable to feature for the Baggies in any respective meeting between the pair, he could still prove to be the difference maker which secures the West Midlands outfit a spot in the top six, which could have big consequences on the Whites’ ambitions.
Celtic and Rangers appear to be the most attractive options, particularly from a Leeds point of view. This is one scenario that is likely to drag on for the remainder of the month, although more clubs could enter the fray before the transfer window closes.
