Hull City and Huddersfield eyeing up January loan move for Leeds United player | OneFootball

Hull City and Leeds United are two sides that have impressed many in the opening twenty matches of the Championship campaign, with both Yorkshire sides putting themselves in a strong position to fulfil their respective ambitions.

While the Whites are in a position many would expect a newly-relegated side to be, Daniel Farke's side still sit seven points behind the top two after their most recent victory against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.

Meanwhile, the Tigers suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time under Liam Rosenior's management, losing 2-0 at a recently resurgent Queens Park Rangers, but sit outside the top-six just on goal difference.

Both squads have an array of attacking and upcoming talent, with the likes of Crysencio Summerville & Jaden Philogene being the standout creative players for Daniel Farke & Liam Rosenior respectively.

However at Elland Road, there is one youngster who will cut a frustrated figure after falling down the pecking order of centre forwards, as a result of the form of Joel Piroe, who joined from Swansea City in the summer, as well as Farke having the likes of Patrick Bamford to also call upon as a substitute.

The man in question is Joe Gelhardt, who has had mixed fortunes since his arrival in West Yorkshire from Wigan Athletic back in 2020, where he signed a four-year contract.

Since making his senior Leeds debut in September 2021, Gelhardt has gone on to make just 48 appearances in just over two-and-a-half years, with his standout moment at the club being a last-gasp winner against Norwich City in March 2022.

After playing a part in Sunderland's run to the play-off semi-finals last season with 6 goal contributions in 20 appearances on loan at the Stadium of Light, Gelhardt hasn't played a minute of league football since a 1 minute cameo in Leeds' 3-0 win at Millwall on September 17th.

Alan Nixon via Patreon reports that Hull are at the head of the queue to strike a loan deal for the 21-year-old despite facing competition from "several" sides across the second tier.

"Ambitious Hull City are keen to sign Leeds United’s out of favour forward Joe Gelhardt." Nixon wrote.

"The Tigers want to make the play offs and think Gelhardt could help them. He is not in Daniel Farke’s side and could go out on loan.

"Several Championship clubs are keen but Hull head the list.

"However they would have to pay top wages and also offer first team games."

Young talents prospering at Hull City

It's been no secret that Liam Rosenior is someone keen on utilising the transfer market in different ways in order to give Hull the best chance of matching chairman Acun Ilicali's ambition of a return to the Premier League, where they haven't been since 2017.

"We know that to fight with the Leeds, Southampton's and Leicester's of this league is that we have to do things in different ways," He stated earlier in the month. "We have to recruit the best young players and play an expressive style of football."

The likes of the aforementioned Philogene, as well as loan duo Liam Delap and Tyler Morton have enjoyed fruitful loan spells in East Yorkshire in the early months of the season.

The trio have played a part in 21 of Hull's 29 goals so far this campaign, which could catch Gelhardt's eye as a result of the attacking and creative talent he could work alongside.

While Hull's form has at times been inconsistent, the former Wigan man could also see similarities between their current situation with his time at Sunderland earlier in the year.

Adding a different dimension in attack could also prove to be the difference to the Tigers' play-off ambitions, as they create an array of chances in almost every game, but can be guilty of a slight over-reliance or wastefulness.

Huddersfield Town also keen on Gelhardt

One side that has been named in Nixon's report in the race for his services alongside Hull is another Yorkshire outfit in the form of Huddersfield Town.

"Huddersfield are another club keen on Gelhardt who spent the second half of last season at Sunderland." Nixon concluded.

The Terriers have struggled for goals so far this term, only finding the net 19 times in 20 games.

Therefore, it's understandable that Darren Moore will target a centre-forward as a key ambition in January to stave off any relegation fears.

However, given the two sides' differing positions in the league, it remains to be seen whether a move across West Yorkshire is as likely as the 64-mile trip down the M62.