By Alan Hutton

4th Oct, 2023 | 11:49am

Joe Gelhardt urged to quit Leeds United in January - pundit

Joe Gelhardt must leave Leeds United in January in search of more game time.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, former Tottenham and Aston Villa defender Alan Hutton suggested that Gelhardt is way down the pecking order at Elland Road and doesn’t seem like he will be part of the club’s plans moving forward.

The 21-year-old has featured in half of Leeds’ Championship matches so far this season and is yet to play the full 90 minutes in the competition.

The striker spent the second half of last season on loan with Sunderland and made 20 appearances across all competitions, starting 18 of those outings.

Hutton insisted now is the time where Gelhardt should be examining his options ahead of the winter window.

“I think all players in that situation search for game time,” he told Football Insider.

“That is all you want, you want to play football on a Saturday that is why you train hard and go through pre-season. He will be no different.

“He burst into that squad and we really thought he was going to hit the ground running and it was a little bit difficult for him but he always showed up when given an opportunity.

“If it is not quite happening this season then he needs to assess his options come January because you need to be playing football, there is no point sitting there.

“If the team are not doing as well as they should be and you are still not getting a look in then it kind of tells you where you are at in the squad. I am sure he will be looking at his options come January if he is still not making first team squads.“

In other news, Kieran Maguire ‘surprised’ by Angus Kinnear’s £40m Leeds United claim.