Leeds United set Joe Gelhardt price - Ipswich Town & Southampton should try blow Hull City out of the water | OneFootball

Ipswich and Southampton should challenge Hull City to Joe Gelhardt's signature this summer

Hull City have learned the price that they must pay to sign Leeds United's Joe Gelhardt on a permanent basis, with the forward enjoying another fruitful loan spell with the Tigers this campaign.

Hull City were hit with an 18-month transfer embargo at the beginning of the season, meaning the Tigers were unable to pay a fee for a player during the period, relying only upon loan deals and free transfers.

Upon appeal, they managed to get it reduced to just 12 months, with the club now able to pay fees for players upon the commencement of the next transfer window.

It had therefore been expected by many that Hull would struggle due to these restrictions, with Bosnian boss Sergej Jakirovic coming into the squad for his first taste of English football.

However, the Tigers have blown pre-season expectations out of the water to emerge as strong candidates for a place in the top six come the end of the season, with one of their best summer signings being the acquisition of Leeds United striker Joe Gelhardt.

Gelhardt, alongside Oli McBurnie, have formed an excellent partnership at the MKM Stadium, as the Tigers have recently learned that they must pay between £3 million to £5 million for the former Wigan forward, as FLW looks at two other clubs in the second tier that may blow them out of the water in the bid for his signature.

It hasn't been the season that Ipswich Town would have been hoping for upon their relegation from the Premier League, though the Tractor Boys, alongside Hull, remain strong favourites for a place in the top six this campaign, and indeed in the top two.

A mass summer overhaul was overseen by Northern Irish head coach Kieran McKenna, who played a significant role in guiding the club from the depths of League One in 2021 to the top flight just a couple of years later.

Numerous players who played a key role in their rise left during the summer, though their biggest departure was that of striker Liam Delap, who left after just one season to join Chelsea in a £30 million deal after scoring 12 goals in his inaugural top-flight season.

Upon their relegation, the mantle of the main centre-forward at Portman Road was taken by George Hirst, who has played a big role in the club's rise from the third tier, though he has failed to sufficiently replace the outgoing Delap, with just eight goals this campaign, albeit with a recent resurgence in form.

Spanish striker Ivan Azon arrived on loan from Italian side Como during the summer, though he too has struggled to adapt to English football, with just four goals across this season.

Should Ipswich not achieve promotion to the top flight, McKenna should absolutely move for Gelhardt, who has an excellent track record of finding the back of the net at Championship level and could absolutely fit the bill as the club's main centre-forward.

He is also more than capable of playing just behind the striker, which he has done for much of this season with McBurnie at Hull, and could seamlessly replace and upgrade the on-loan Chuba Akpom and provide a completely different option to Marcelino Nunez, who is more of a creator than a goalscorer.

1 ? ? Southampton

Like Ipswich, Southampton's return to the second tier hasn't been without its faults.

Initially led by former Reims and Lens boss Will Still, the Saints began the season just as they had finished their last, in dismal form, leading to the premature dismissal of Still, who lasted just a mere 16 games in charge at St Mary's.

With just four wins in that time, Still was replaced by the club's Under-21 boss Tonda Eckert, firstly on an interim basis, and then permanently after a stellar run of form.

The German, despite a slight blip, has proven to be an excellent appointment and overseen a big upturn in form and performances on the South Coast.

Previous top goalscorer Adam Armstrong left the club in January to join Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers, with Damion Downs also leaving the club after six months to return to Germany.

Cameron Archer looked likely to leave Southampton during the month, but instead, the Englishman remained at the club and will provide competition to Scottish forward Ross Stewart and January arrival Cyle Larin.

Larin, a fully-fledged Canadian international, joined on loan from Spanish side Mallorca to add another alternative up front, but with his loan deal set to expire at the end of the season and with no guarantee of a permanent deal, a striker will be on their shortlist heading into the summer.

Gelhardt could prove to be an excellent alternative up front, and with his price tag, it seems a no-brainer.

Stewart is also out of contract this summer, with no renewal yet confirmed, and with Archer's future in doubt, none of their current options is guaranteed to be at the club next year.

Should they remain in the second tier, Gelhardt would be an excellent option for the Saints, and with his price tag more than affordable, Southampton should absolutely challenge Hull to secure his signature permanently.