Anthony Barry has been speaking to Goal about Leeds wonderkid Joe Gelhardt, and he believes the 19-year-old is a future star.
What’s the story?
Well, Barry – who is part of Thomas Tuchel’s staff at Chelsea – coached Gelhardt while the pair were at Wigan together.
Speaking to Goal, he said: “Joffy has the ability to become a very special player. He has the capabilities to decide games and be destructive in the big moments, and not too many young players have that.
“To go with that, he is a great kid who loves playing football, and when you have that enthusiasm and appetite for the game, those types of players normally find a way to be successful.”
Coming from a man who knows Gelhardt very well, we’d say Barry is worth listening to when it comes to the teenage gem.
There’s a reason Leeds spent £1.6m on the prodigy, and we’re beginning to see why.
After scoring 11 goals in 16 Premier League 2 appearances last season, Gelhardt has netted six in six games this term.
The Liverpool-born forward has also just been called up to the England Under-21 squad, which is quite the achievement.
What other prospects do Leeds have apart from Joe Gelhardt?
Gelhardt isn’t the only talent Leeds have spent over £1m on.
Marcelo Bielsa and Victor Orta handed Feyenoord £1.3m to sign Crysencio Summerville shortly after securing promotion to the Premier League.
The Dutchman scored six goals and provided eight assists in the youth ranks last season, and has now made three first-team appearances.
Aside from Gelhardt and Summerville, Leeds also have another precocious attacker in Sam Greenwood, who was absolutely brilliant last season.
The ex-Arsenal forward scored 12 goals in 18 Premier League 2 outings last term, and earned a first-team debut in the FA Cup defeat to Crawley.
Thorp Arch is currently full of potential stars. Now, it’s up to Bielsa to ensure they fulfil their humongous potential.
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