NafisaLeeds United’s squad returned from Dublin on Thursday with plenty for Daniel Farke to think about after Wednesday night’s meeting with Manchester United.
The Whites had battled to a 1-1 draw at Croke Park before Manchester United eventually came out on top in the penalty shootout, but the result was only one part of Farke’s immediate concerns.
Behind the scenes, Leeds are still working through a number of transfer decisions as the Premier League season edges closer.
Several players have been linked with departures this summer, and Farke has already made it clear that the club will need to find solutions for those who are no longer central to his plans.
One of those players was involved in the Dublin trip.
But he did not make the journey back to Yorkshire with the rest of the Leeds squad.
Instead, his next stop was elsewhere.
Leeds United star closing in on permanent transfer
Joe Gelhardt has been expected to leave Elland Road for much of the summer after falling down the pecking order under Farke.
The 24-year-old forward enjoyed a hugely productive loan spell with Hull City last season, scoring 15 Championship goals as the Tigers secured promotion to the Premier League through the play-offs.
That form naturally led to interest elsewhere.
Wrexham, Birmingham City and Rangers were among the clubs linked with the Leeds forward as the summer progressed, while Hull remained keen to bring back a player who had already spent time at the club.
And despite the competition, the Tigers have ultimately won the race.
According to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, Gelhardt is undergoing his Hull City medical today ahead of completing a permanent move away from Leeds.
The agreement is understood to be worth £4.5million, with the striker set to sign a four-year contract running until 2030.
Hull will also have an option to extend that agreement by another year.
The final checks are now taking place before the transfer can be officially confirmed.
Gelhardt did not return to Yorkshire with Leeds
The timing of the development is particularly significant.
Gelhardt was part of the Leeds group in Dublin for the friendly against Manchester United, but rather than travelling back to Yorkshire with his teammates afterwards, he has remained behind to complete the next stage of his move.
That effectively brings his Leeds career to its conclusion.
It is a remarkable turnaround for a player who once arrived at Elland Road with huge expectations.
Leeds signed Gelhardt from Wigan Athletic as a highly-rated teenager in 2020, with many supporters believing they had secured a future star.
There were certainly flashes of that talent.
But regular first-team football proved difficult to establish, and despite several opportunities, Gelhardt never managed to become the consistent Premier League attacker Leeds hoped he would be.
His time at Hull has changed the picture.
Hull get the player they already know
Gelhardt’s return to Hull is hardly a gamble from the Tigers’ perspective.
He already knows the club, the surroundings and the supporters after two previous loan spells at the MKM Stadium.
More importantly, his performances last season demonstrated that he can be a genuine difference-maker at Championship level.
His 15 goals played a major role in Hull’s promotion campaign, giving the club plenty of reason to believe he can now make the step up alongside them in the Premier League.
Hull boss Sergej Jakirovic has also been keen to secure the forward, with the club eventually re-entering the race after their interest appeared to cool earlier in the summer.
Now, the deal is almost there.
Provided Gelhardt completes his medical without any issues, the transfer is expected to be officially confirmed later today.
And there is even the possibility that he could make his Hull debut when the Tigers face Nice in Saturday’s friendly.
A new chapter for Gelhardt
For Leeds, this is ultimately a sensible outcome.
Farke has been reshaping his attacking options and needs his squad to become more streamlined before the Premier League campaign gets underway.
Gelhardt was no longer part of those long-term plans.
Rather than spending another season fighting for occasional minutes, he now has the chance to become an important player for a Premier League club that already knows exactly what he can offer.
There will undoubtedly be mixed emotions among Leeds supporters.
Gelhardt’s potential was obvious when he first arrived, and many fans wanted to see him succeed in a Leeds shirt.
But sometimes a player’s best opportunity comes away from the club where his career began.
For Gelhardt, that opportunity is now taking him back to Hull.
The medical is happening today, the £4.5million deal is agreed, and the four-year contract is ready.
After years of uncertainty over his future, Gelhardt is finally saying goodbye to Elland Road.
Nafisa
