Birmingham City must eye Leeds United striker with uncertain future - it’s not Joel Piroe | OneFootball

Blues could continue to reshuffle their attacking pack in the coming weeks

Birmingham City will be hoping to mount a much more sustained bid for the Championship play-off places this season, at least, under Chris Davies after a mixed 12-month period back in the second tier.

Blues' ambitions have been spoken about at length, and as such, many will view the club's business between now and the closure of the summer transfer window on September 1st with plenty of intrigue.

Last summer, 14 new acquisitions after their promotion from League One saw many at St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park get swept along through a wave of excitement and anticipation, but the club's overall fortunes in 2025/26 proved to be rather mixed.

Davies' side, despite the occasional strong run of form, which was best showcased in November 2025 and February 2026, were always short of the chasing pack for the top six, which has already led to some strong squad changes so far this summer.

Jhon Solis and James Beadle have both returned to B9 on permanent and loan deals respectively, whilst Dael Fry has been signed on a free transfer after leaving Middlesbrough.

Meanwhile, whilst plenty of names have been linked with departures, only Jonathan Panzo, Kai Wagner and Kyogo Furuhashi have seen their exits rubber-stamped thus far.

The latter, in particular, flattered to deceive after joining from Stade Rennais 12 months ago, and alongside his move to LA Galaxy, fellow striker, Marvin Ducksch has also been the subject of exit talk.

If both left, this would leave just August Priske and Jay Stansfield as centre-forward options, which could lead Blues to potentially take advantage of a well-documented situation at Leeds United.

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Throughout the summer window, Birmingham have been one of three Championship sides heavily linked with a move for Leeds forward, Joel Piroe, who, in recent times, has been one of the most potent goalscorers at the level.

For the Whites and Swansea City, the Suriname international has netted 73 times in 179 second tier games, but struggled for gametime in the Premier League last term at Elland Road.

Even at 26 years of age, Piroe would likely feel he still has much to give a new employer if a move is to be agreed, but Birmingham could also have his LS11 colleague, Joe Gelhardt, on standby given recent developments.

The 24-year-old has also seen his minutes with Leeds restricted under Daniel Farke, having spent the best part of the past 18 months with Hull City, who returned to the top-flight for the first time in a decade in May through their play-off success.

Gelhardt was a major part in their rapid transformation under Ruben Selles and current boss, Sergej Jakirovic, scoring 20 times in 64 games for the Tigers in all competitions.

Unsurprisingly, given his popularity at the MKM Stadium, there have been several rumours circulating over a permanent switch, with the forward's contract at Leeds expiring next June.

However, some also have reservations as to whether he would be able to have a similar impact in the Premier League, having played 35 times in the division for Leeds, mainly under Marcelo Bielsa and Jesse Marsch.

Joe Gelhardt could be a cheaper Leeds United deal for Birmingham City after Joel Piroe interest

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It was reported earlier in the summer that Gelhardt would be made available for a fee of £3m, which would still leave Leeds with an approximate profit of £2m, having signed the forward six years ago from Wigan Athletic.

Even more uncertainty over his future has come to light in recent days, as he was left out of United's pre-season squad for a tour of the United States, whilst Hull owner, Acun Ilicali, recently published a cryptic list of signings for the top-flight newcomers, with percentages and flags showcasing their nationality, and how far down the line each deal is in terms of negotiations.

Although it doesn't mean a permanent deal for Gelhardt may not come in time, no English flag featured on such a list, which could offer hope to clubs in the Championship looking to strike a cut-price deal.

As well as his recent goalscoring record, Gelhardt's versatility was a key asset for Hull last term, and it could be once more for a club in Birmingham's position, as they look to reshuffle their attacking options while making a bid for the top eight.

Therefore, this could be a better deal all round for the Second City outfit, despite the understandable pros and cons that would come alongside a move for his Elland Road teammate.