Two strikers from Leeds are about to leave in the upcoming weeks.
According to reports, Leeds won’t let either player leave until appropriate replacements are found. The 21-year-old Gelhardt has not played much in the Championship; his most recent game was a September one-minute cameo against Millwall. Poveda, a 23-year-old, is currently serving for Colombia abroad.
Gelhardt and Poveda present a problem for Leeds because keeping them on the team without giving them regular playing time could impede their development. Given their youth, both players require regular opportunities to advance.
Poveda has only played 139 minutes in the Championship this season, and he has been a bit part player. Even if healthy, Gelhardt may find it difficult to get playing time under Daniel Farke due to his injury history. Leeds’ task is to strike a balance between the dynamics of the current squad and their needs for development.
The Lilywhites, who are currently six points behind Ipswich in the Championship top two, will undoubtedly want to have a player who will actually play fill a squad spot so they can have an impact. Gelhardt and Poveda are a waste of a squad number and their development is being slowed, so keeping them is basically a double-whammy.
