Joe Gelhardt really enhanced his reputation as a rising star of English football with two goals for Leeds United’s reserves this afternoon.
The Whites moved second in the Premier League 2 with a rousing 4-1 win over Crystal Palace Under-23s.
And the 18-year-old, who joined Leeds from Wigan Athletic this past summer, played a big role in the victory.
Gelhardt grabbed the hosts’ second of the game from the penalty spot just before half-time, before then making 3-1 on 56 minutes with a wonderful mazy run.
The former Latics gem dribbled past three or four opposition players, before drilling home Leeds’ third.
This is a player who cost the West Yorkshire side only £900,000 due to Wigan’s financial issues during the summer.
And here’s how some fans of the DW Stadium club reacted to Gelhardt’s heroics:
It’s hard not to sympathise with the Wigan fans because Gelhardt probably would’ve ripped up League One this season and secured a far bigger transfer fee than £900,000 at some point in the near future.
But from Leeds’ perspective, what a bargain he may prove to be – and especially when he could be working alongside a man-manager of Marcelo Bielsa’s wisdom eventually.
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