Leeds United will need every single one of their players firing on all cylinders this Saturday, needing to win against Southampton and hope Ipswich Town slip up to swoop into that final automatic promotion in the Championship at the death.

It will have to be a major improvement on the showing the Whites dished up at Loftus Road last time out, knowing that a disastrous defeat like the 4-0 one suffered in West London against Queens Park Rangers would really irk the Leeds masses in such a high-stakes contest at Elland Road.

The lone striker position will be one spot in the Leeds side that Daniel Farke will have to think long and hard about before the lunch-time clash, with both Patrick Bamford and Joel Piroe struggling there as of late and the first name in this wasteful duo looking touch-and-go to be fit.

There are other options in the form of Mateo Joseph and even this forgotten face in the Leeds ranks up top too, who could be moved on in the summer for a healthy profit despite barely featuring for the promotion-chasers this season.

Joe Gelhardt's season in numbers

Joe Gelhardt has faded into the background for Leeds this campaign, falling way down the pecking order under Farke after once being viewed as the future of the Whites in attack.

Signed three years ago for £1m from Wigan Athletic – with the Latics having to offload their academy product for a cheap fee owing to their financial woes at the time – Gelhardt would leave a lasting impression on the Whites masses when gifted first-team opportunities shortly after his arrival.

Praised for his tenacious displays by Jamie Carragher in 2022, who described the then teenage sensation as "special", Gelhardt did manage to fire in two goals for his new employers during the 2021/22 season even whilst playing in the brutal nature of the Premier League.

His Whites career hasn't quite gone to plan after this blistering start, however, with just nine Championship appearances coming his way this campaign and zero goals to show for it.

Still, despite only being given 19 minutes of second-tier action this year, Gelhardt could be offloaded for significant profit soon with his transfer value higher than Bamford's according to Football Transfers.

Gelhardt's transfer value in 2024

Leeds would be fools to not try and cash in on Gelhardt this coming summer, especially if they look to add more strength in depth to the striker spots over the ex-Wigan man to handle the jump up to the top flight if promotion is sealed.

The now 21-year-old attacker boasts a hefty £6.4m valuation according to the site even with his fringe status, whilst the more experienced if injury-prone Bamford comes in at a lesser price-tag of £5.6m.

This is a shock considering the former Middlesbrough man has been lethal in patches this season for the Whites, with nine of his 60 Leeds goals coming this campaign under Farke.

Yet, Gelhardt was worth a staggering £12.7m just last year when he was still being given moments to shine in the Premier League, which would make him worth more than Daniel James' current £10.9m price today remarkably.

Year

Transfer value

2024

£6.4m

2023

£12.7m

2022

£8.3m

2021

£3.3m

2020

£1m

Sourced by Football Transfers

There is still time for Gelhardt to, arguably, make this season a successful one on a personal note if Farke gambles on giving him some much-needed minutes versus the Saints and he fires a potential promotion-winning goal home against Southampton.

But, with his current position on the Leeds periphery not looking likely to change realistically, it could well be that the Whites cash in on the 21-year-old – who did receive enquiries from the likes of Celtic in January – very soon before his value depletes.