Celtic are in the market for quality this January as manager Brendan Rodgers gears up for a title fight in the second half of the season. Last summer, the recruitment at Parkhead was not the greatest meaning the club has been forced into movement this month.
There has been no confirmed news over any incomings or departures from the Hoops, but there are continual links with many players. The latest is Joe Gelhardt.
The 21-year-old Leeds United frontman is ‘attracting interest’ from Celtic, per the Daily Mail. Still relatively young, Gelhardt’s contract at Elland Road lasts until 2027 meaning any permanent move would demand a notable transfer fee. This shouldn’t faze the champions, though, who have significant cash reserves in the bank.
Whether they would be spent wisely on Gelhardt, however, remains to be seen. The Liverpudlian has made 90 senior appearances for Wigan, Sunderland, and Leeds, registering just 17 goal contributions along the way. This season, he has played eight times in all competitions, scoring once.
He has never seemed to transfer his youth form into the senior game having bagged 20 goals in 31 games for Leeds under-21s, and 15 in 29 total caps for the under-15s, 16s, 17s, 18s, and 20s of England.
Although a move for Gelhardt may not seem to be the most exciting, the judgement of Brendan Rodgers should be trusted. The gaffer knows the English market well and across the clubs he has been at, he has signed several players in the ilk of the 21-year-old and helped them succeed.
Despite this, fans are demanding proven quality ahead of a crucial race in which a pivotal Champions League place is up for grabs. Partly relying on a player like Gelhardt for such a run-in may not be so wise.
