Hull City are hoping to sign Leeds United striker Joe Gelhardt permanently after a great start to his loan spell at the Tigers.
The 23-year-old has scored 7 goals in 15 games so far in the Championship, and manager Sergei Jakorovic is hopeful to keep the loanee in his broader plan for more permanent deals in the Tigers team.
A Return To Consistency: How Gelhardt Has Transformed The Attack
The resurgence of Joe Gelhardt has quickly become one of Hull City’s most impressive factors of their so far remarkable start to the Championship campaign.
His brief loan spell with Hull City last season offered only flashes of what he could bring. Limited minutes meant he never really got going, yet his sharp bursts of pace and natural goalscoring instincts hinted that he could become far more influential with a run of games.
His early rise at Leeds United shaped that potential. The 2021-2022 Premier League season marked his breakthrough, delivering two goals and two assists across 22 appearances.
The following campaign, however, brought just 4 goal contributions, but the tough spells proved just as valuable. They would have no doubt taught him the pace and physicality required at the top level and pushed him to refine his decision-making in tight, high-pressure moments.
His development runs even deeper through the England youth pathway. Representing the national setup from U-17 to U-19, Gelhardt gained experience in varied tactical systems and high-intensity environments.
This season, everything has clicked so far for the Liverpool-born man. With 7 goals and 3 assists in 16 matches across all competitions, Gelhardt has produced the consistency that previously eluded him.
His pressing is aggressive, his link-up play has become more precise, and his finishing more ruthless. He has now become the key architect of the attack rather than simply supporting them.
For a Hull City side searching for reliability and edge in the final third, Gelhardt has become the catalyst. His form feels less like a hot streak and more like a player finally stepping into the version of himself that many expected at Elland Road.
Speaking on the broader subject of the Tigers’ winter transfer window, Tigers’ boss Sergej Jakirovic said
“I don’t know what we can do in January.”
“Because we have an embargo, it’s a question for Jared (Dublin), the sporting director. We will see if we can change something so that we can try to improve our group.”
“We will do that for sure, and we will see what happens.”
The Jakirovic Revolution
Rolling back into match-week! 😁 #hcafc pic.twitter.com/e7Um1vOqh2
— Hull City (@HullCity) November 17, 2025
Hull City’s rise this season is even more impressive given the transfer ban imposed by the EFL, preventing the club from paying any loan or transfer fees under the terms enforced during the summer.
It could have halted progress, yet under the guidance of the relatively new Sergej Jakirović, the team has pushed forward with conviction and determination.
They currently sit 5th in the Championship on 25 points, only 9 behind leaders Coventry City, and an impressive 17 of those points have come at home.
Their latest result, a tight 3-2 win over Portsmouth, highlighted both resilience and the increasing attacking quality that has defined their campaign. Ahead lies a demanding stretch, with tests against QPR, Ipswich, Stoke, Middlesbrough and Wrexham in their next 5, a run that will offer a true measure of their ambitions this season.
Despite the spending restrictions, recruitment has been shrewd. Free transfers such as Oli McBurnie have added experience and presence, while players like Joe Gelhardt have injected energy and end product.
The squad looks unified after a turbulent few seasons and looks good value for a play-off place under Jakirović’s astute tactics.
Now the question lingers: can Hull City, almost 10 years without Premier League football, turn this momentum into a genuine promotion push? The signs suggest these transfer sanctions have, in fact, galvanised a tight-knit squad into promotion contenders.
Sergej Jakirović has been nominated for the Sky Bet Championship Manager of the Month award for October. 🏆
Congratulations, gaffer! 🧡#hcafc
— Hull City (@HullCity) November 13, 2025
