Joe Gelhardt makes Leeds United transfer stance 'pretty clear' following Hull City promotion
Leeds United will welcome Joe Gelhardt back to West Yorkshire as things stand.
Out-on-loan Leeds United forward Joe Gelhardt has once again hinted at a desire to join Hull City permanently following their promotion to the Premier League.
Gelhardt returned to Hull on a season-long loan last summer having initially agreed a six-month switch in the January 2025 window. The young forward has enjoyed his best-ever campaign at the MKM Stadium, scoring 15 goals including the second of a 2-0 play-off semi-final win at Millwall.
The 24-year-old came off the bench midway through the second-half at Wembley on Saturday as Hull beat Middlesbrough to secure a Premier League place. Gelhardt’s strike partner Oli McBurnie won it deep into added-time as sixth-placed finishers Hull defied the odds.
As things stand, Gelhardt is due back in West Yorkshire this summer but has made no secret of his desire to remain at Hull, for whom he has finally started to enjoy regular first-team football. And that stance doesn’t appear to have changed following promotion.
Asked by Hull Live if he’d be willing to sign permanent terms following promotion, Gelhardt replied: "It's a good question, isn't it? Let's see what happens over the summer, but it's pretty clear what I want to do.”
Hull do not have an option to buy Gelhardt for any fixed fee due to their recent transfer embargo. The Tigers were unable to commit to spending any money last summer, with arrivals coming either on loan or from the free agent market - a hurdle which makes their promotion more impressive.
Joe Gelhardt on ‘amazing’ Hull City achievement
Sergej Jakirovic's side were also thrown a curveball amid last week’s spygate drama, with initial training sessions preparing for Southampton proving obsolete when they were expelled. But Gelhardt and his teammates regrouped to achieve a quite incredible feat.
"It's amazing, it feels brilliant,” he added. “To get back to the Premier League with Hull City, I love the club, I'm buzzing, I'm absolutely buzzing. It just shows what can happen in 12 months.
“Under the situations we had, with the embargo, we were always at a disadvantage; everybody had written us off, now we've proved everyone wrong, and now we're off to the Premier League."
Leeds initially wanted between £3-4million for Gelhardt last summer but a prolific season in front of goal for Hull, coupled with their newfound promotion-linked riches, could see that number rise. It could prove a fruitful development for Elland Road chiefs, with anything above £1m generating profit on the former Wigan Athletic youngster.
Gelhardt will return to West Yorkshire following a brief and well-deserved break, with talks expected to take place over his future. The Liverpudlian forward has one year remaining on his Elland Road deal.