Sunderland ace Daniel Ballard feels Joe Gelhardt has been ‘brilliant’ since he joined on loan from Leeds United. Jesse Marsch let the forward leave in January before he was then fired.
The Black Cats struck a deal with the Whites in the final days of the mid-season window for Gelhardt. He will spend the rest of the campaign trying to help Tony Mowbray’s men clinch promotion from the Championship. They currently sit sixth in the table through 32 fixtures.
Sunderland beat off a host of second-tier rivals to agree on terms with Leeds for Gelhardt’s loan. Chronicle Live credited Blackburn Rovers, Middlesbrough and Wigan Athletic with an interest in the 20-year-old. He started his career at the Latics before joining Leeds for £1m.
The Whites secured Gelhardt’s transfer in August 2020 and he advanced to play in 41 first-team matches. He had already scored once through 21 senior outings with Wigan. But the England youth international has only scored two and assisted seven with the Whites so far.
Gelhardt now has one assist over four appearances at Sunderland after feeding Jack Clarke against Brentford on Saturday. He found the former Whites talent to break the deadlock in a 1-1 draw. The Championship clash also marked his fourth start from four possible games.
Gelhardt is impressing Ballard since joining Sunderland on loan from Leeds
Mowbray has given Gelhardt a greater role than the Sunderland coach likely planned when he joined on loan from Leeds. The Black Cats lost their 10-goal top scorer, Ross Stewart, for the rest of the season days after Gelhardt joined following surgery on an Achilles injury.
Ballard does not underestimate the significance of Stewart’s absence. But Gelhardt has left a positive early impression on the defender across his early outings at the Stadium of Light.
“I think Rossco is such a top player,” Ballard told the Sunderland Echo. “It’s always going to be a miss without him but I think Joffy has done brilliant since he’s come in.
“He does hold the ball up really well, he battles and links the play nicely. He’s maybe not as tall as Rossco but he’s certainly strong and does a lot to link the play.”
Gelhardt enjoyed a lively performance against Brentford but spurned a good chance to bag his first Sunderland goal. The Liverpool-born talent also struck the crossbar at Queens Park Rangers, went close against Reading and also caused Millwall problems during his debut.
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