Leeds United sent Joe Gelhardt on loan to Hull City for the full 2025/26 campaign, with the forward impressing after a temporary stint from January.
Gelhardt spent the latter half of the 2024-25 campaign at Leeds United’s Yorkshire rivals and they had to win the race as there was talk of Gelhardt going to Rangers at one stage.
It’s been said that Leeds were willing to listen to offers for Gelhardt and the 23-year-old attacker also hinted at leaving Leeds for more regular first-team football as well.
Talk of a move to Scotland was then quickly revealed as untrue at the Rangers end. There was also late interest as Middlesbrough pushed for Gelhardt prior to him deciding to join Hull on another loan.
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Darko Gyabi could join Joe Gelhardt at Hull City
Gelhardt is already delighted to return to Hull but the majority of Leeds fans are wishing the best for Gelhardt at the MKM Stadium.
Given Gelhardt was admittedly happier at Hull than he ever has been since joining Leeds in 2020, it’s looking unlikely that he will play for the Whites again.
Ali Maxwell thinks this is Gelhardt’s season to be one of the outstanding players in the Championship. It’s already clear that he’s impressing for Hull early on this season.
Gelhardt has already contributed to three goals and assists in five games in all competitions, albeit his Hull side have only managed four points in four league games thus far.
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However, he is not the only player needing to exit Leeds. The reality is that, despite the need for more incomings, the Whites need to trim their squad this summer. They have numerous players who could still exit Leeds before the deadline.
One of those is Darko Gyabi, and the giant midfielder could yet unite with Hull’s Leeds loanee following an update from Pete O’Rourke. French and Championship clubs want Gyabi, including the Tigers.
He claims that Hull are one of a number of clubs in the race for Gyabi. The midfielder is in the final year of his deal but is a target either on loan or permanent for Wrexham, Watford, and French duo Lorient and Metz before Monday’s transfer deadline.
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Wayne Rooney’s praise of Darko Gyabi
Speaking ahead of Plymouth Argyle’s trip to Burnley, Wayne Rooney spoke highly of Gyabi’s ability to drive with the ball and believes it is one of his best attributes.
He said: “It was a dead leg from the first half, and especially when you go off at half-time, they stiffen up. And it’s hard to get going, although he didn’t show any signs just before that when we get the second goal.
“He drove forwards, which is a real attribute of his, but he felt he couldn’t continue after that, so we made a change.”
In many ways, a profile of Gyabi’s is interesting. He has the tools to become something yet, but it won’t be at Leeds. His exit should go through before the deadline.