Birmingham City and Wrexham eye ‘exceptional’ star who has been told he can leave Premier League club.
According to EFL Analysis, newly promoted clubs Birmingham and Wrexham are interested in the Leeds United forward, who is expected to join the Championship this summer.
Birmingham City and Wrexham both took League One by storm last season, and the newly promoted clubs plan to do the same in the 2025/26 Championship. Both teams have been connected with various transfer targets this summer, with Birmingham awaiting Crystal Palace’s decision on Jesurun Rak-Sakyi. Wrexham are about to seal the signing of Ryan Hardie from Plymouth Argyle, and one EFL expert feels the 12-goal forward will be a “very smart” addition to the club. EFL Analysis can exclusively reveal that the pair are among the Championship clubs looking for a “exceptional” Premier League forward.
Birmingham City and Wrexham target Leeds United forward Joe Gelhardt
According to EFL Analysis’s Chief Football Correspondent Graeme Bailey, Leeds United has advised Joe Gelhardt that he can leave this summer, and he is expected to join another Championship club. Gelhardt played the first part of the 2024/25 Championship season with parent club Leeds before joining Hull City on loan in the January transfer window. He went on to score five goals in 20 second-tier appearances for the Tigers, helping them avoid relegation under Ruben Selles. We can disclose that Birmingham and Wrexham, two freshly promoted clubs, have expressed an interest in the 23-year-old forward. Gelhardt spent much of last season at Hull, although he has two years left on his present contract with Elland Road.
EFL Analysis can reveal that Leeds’ promotion back to the Premier League has seen Gelhardt’s contract revert to its original terms, making a permanent exit more difficult. As a result, we are told that Gelhardt will likely need to take out another loan. Aside from Birmingham and Wrexham, other Championship clubs are interested in signing him. Gelhardt’s talents and adaptability are just two parts of his game that explain why a slew of Championship clubs are after him this summer, after recently-fired Hull City manager Selles praised the Leeds academy graduate.
Leeds United loanee Joe Gelhardt was ‘exceptional’ at Hull for Ruben Selles
Gelhardt appeared in every Hull game after joining on loan from Leeds in the middle of the season, and he helped the Tigers secure their safety on the final day of the season at Portsmouth. Despite only joining in January, the Liverpool-born attacker finished the season as Hull’s second most goalscorer with five, one behind Joao Pedro’s six strikes.
| Statistic | At Hull City in 24/25 | Career so far |
| Games | 20 | 127 |
| Goals | 5 | 36 |
| Assists | 0 | 13 |
Hull wanted Gelhardt back next season, but with Selles fired, his return to the MKM Stadium is improbable. Selles was a huge fan of the dynamic forward. He told Hull Live: “It has been a pleasure for us to have Joe.” His approach to work has been remarkable. During his tenure at Leeds, Gelhardt was loaned out to Sunderland for the 2022/23 season, where he scored three goals and provided three assists under Tony Mowbray as the Black Cats’ season ended in a play-off semi-final defeat to eventual winners Luton Town. Gelhardt’s tough style of play and aggressive temperament make him a persistent thorn in the side of second-tier teams defences.
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