Rangers
Paraag Marathe at a Rangers game.
Leeds United currently sit 15th in the Premier League, four points clear of the relegation zone as they aim to secure their place in the top flight.
They’re not out of danger just yet, though, and there’s a real feeling they could still be dragged into the relegation battle over the final seven games.
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Even with that uncertainty, the club have already begun planning for the summer, hoping they’ll still be preparing for another season in the Premier League.
Leeds will need to be smarter when it comes to selling players if they want to reinvest in the squad, and it looks like Joe Gelhardt is set to have multiple suitors in the next window.
Rangers want to sign Joe Gelhardt
Joe Gelhardt is having a stellar season on loan at Hull City, where he has emerged as their best player with 13 goals and four assists in the Championship.
The Tigers want to sign the forward on a permanent deal in the summer, and Gelhardt has also made it clear that he wants to return to the MKM Stadium.
However, according to journalist Alan Nixon, Rangers are prepared to throw a spanner in Hull’s interest in having Gelhardt back.
It has been claimed that the Glasgow giants are pushing to sign the Leeds forward in the upcoming transfer window.
Rangers are owned by the 49ers, who also hold a majority stake in Leeds United, and the Scottish side will likely look to use that shared connection to their advantage.
They’ll be confident of reaching an agreement with Leeds, especially as both clubs are under the same ownership group.
Rangers will hope to lure Gelhardt with the temptation of playing European football next season.
Hull are in the playoffs in the Championship and could be playing in the Premier League, which they feel could be a bigger temptation for the attacker.
This is good news for Leeds
If Leeds stay up, they need to get better at selling players to ensure they have more money to spend on upgrading the squad in the summer window.
Gelhardt’s form has soared his value, and while Hull want him back, Leeds would want to spark an auction for his services to drive up his price.
Rangers’ entry into the race for Leeds is good news as they now have an opportunity to get a decent fee from the forward’s sale in the summer.
If Hull get promoted, they could have the financial muscle to outbid Rangers in their pursuit of the Leeds forward in the summer. Howver, Leeds should be pleased about the recent development.