Former Leeds United favourite issues challenge to youngster who could be 'huge' for Whites

Twenty-year-old England youth international Joe Gelhardt has continually impressed for Leeds since signing from Wigan Athletic in August 2020, initially for the club’s under-23s and then for the first team upon being handed his first chances.

There has been a continued clamor for Gelhardt to be given more minutes and the youngster was handed still only his sixth league start in Saturday’s Premier League clash at Brentford.

The Liverpudlian lined up in the no 9 role at a time when Patrick Bamford is continuing to work his way back to full fitness after recent injury troubles whilst Rodrigo is out with a dislocated shoulder.

Leeds had hoped to sign another striker option in the summer transfer window and were willing to pay a club record 40m euros to Club Brugge to sign Belgian international striker Charles De Ketelaere.

The Whites then failed in their bids to land Senegal international forward Bamba Dieng from Marseille on transfer deadline day whilst also looking at other striker options but Prutton says the cards might have finally fallen in the favour of Gelhardt to make himself a permanent fixture in the first team.

"He could be huge,” Prutton told the YEP, assessing the Whites forward options at least until the January transfer window opens.

"As long as he gets his games, as long as he is playing in the right position and as long as he is not a bit-part player off the bench and manages to get the starts in that is.

"This is a chance for him and there is a challenge now that lies ahead.

"There's been lots of clamour for him but I don't think he has had the minutes nor the impact possibly consistently regards to the fact that he hasn't had the minutes that has warranted that first-team berth.

"If he does get that chance then now is the time to nail it down."