"Interesting" - Reaction issued as Portsmouth FC eye Leeds United transfer | OneFootball

Pompey are rumoured to be interested in a move for the out-of-favour Whites striker

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Portsmouth's transfer window priorities have been called into question amid recent links with a potential move for out-of-favour Leeds United striker Joe Gelhardt.

John Mousinho's side have struggled on their return to the Championship so far, and currently sit in the relegation zone with a tough battle to stay up likely to be on their hands throughout the rest of the campaign.

Pompey will no doubt be planning ahead for the new year, where Mousinho must delve into the transfer market and make additions to his playing squad in the hope that fresh faces can boost the club's survival credentials.

The Fratton Park outfit have struggled with a host of injuries to key men so far, and their defensive record certainly leaves a lot to be desired, with only Plymouth Argyle having conceded more goals in the second-tier up to now.

Portsmouth are also one of the lowest scorers in the league to date, and Mousinho has experienced some real striker issues in recent months, with Colby Bishop sidelined, and the likes of Kusini Yengi, Mark O'Mahony and Christian Saydee all struggling to find the back of the net.

It therefore comes as little surprise to see the Blues linked to Gelhardt, with the Yorkshire Evening Post claiming that they, along with Rangers, Stoke City, Plymouth Argyle and Preston North End and two clubs from Belgium, have all registered their interest in his signature ahead of the January window opening in just over a month's time.

Gelhardt has struggled for game-time at Elland Road this season, hence the likelihood of his exit, and while FLW's Pompey fan pundit Miltos Ioannidis rates him at second-tier level, he has issued some concern over the club's priorities in the January window, and whether he is what they need in the new year, after we asked him if the 22-year-old would be a good addition to their squad.

He said: “It will be interesting to see. I was reading earlier that there is interest in Joe Gelhardt from other clubs, as well.

“I saw that Rangers are interested, as well as Stoke and Preston, two clubs who are way more established in the Championship than we are, which can definitely play a part.

“On our behalf, it will be interesting to see if we prioritise going for an attacker anyway, or if we choose to prioritise going for another position.

“At the moment, I really don’t know if going for an attacker is our main concern. We will have to wait and see.

“I obviously know of Joe Gelhardt. He has played in the Premier League.

“He has shown that he can do it at this level, and it will be interesting to see any further developments around him and Pompey.”

Joe Gelhardt needs to leave Leeds United in January

England youth international Gelhardt has been stuck watching on from the sidelines at Leeds so far this season, with a lack of game-time set to force a January exit, either on loan or possibly even on a permanent deal.

An exclusive report from MOT Leeds News earlier this month revealed that the 22-year-old hopes to seal a temporary move away from the Whites during the winter window, but whether Pompey is his next destination remains to be seen.

He joined Leeds from Wigan Athletic in 2020, and made his Premier League debut for the club in October 2021, then soon bagged his first Whites goal in a December defeat at Chelsea, and netted a noteworthy second a few months later as he tapped home a dramatic added-time winner at Elland Road against Norwich City.

Gelhardt started just one league game in the first six months of the 2022/23 campaign, so he went out on loan to Sunderland and impressed at the Stadium of Light with three goals and three assists in 18 games, but could not quite take the Black Cats to the play-off final as they lost in the semi-finals to Luton Town.

The 22-year-old returned to Elland Road last summer with Leeds back in the second-tier and Farke at the helm, but made just 13 appearances and was given two league starts, so it was a shock to many to see him stay at the club past this summer, and his chances so far this term have been at a real premium.

Gelhardt has featured for just 72 minutes in all competitions this season, with two substitute appearances in the Championship and a start in the 3-0 loss to Middlesbrough in the EFL Cup first round.

He has also only been included in Farke's matchday squad once in the last seven league games amid strong competition in the attacking unit, and so it is no surprise that the 22-year-old is hoping to seal a loan exit in the new year.

Portsmouth's strikers have flattered to deceive this season, and Yengi, O'Mahony and Saydee have only scored a combined four goals so far this term, while Bishop, who was a prolific scorer in League One, has suffered heart issues which mean he cannot be relied on week-in, week-out.

Gelhardt would clearly be a smart signing for Pompey after the turn of the year, but given their poor record at the back, Mousinho's focus probably needs to be on bringing in defensive reinforcements as soon as possible.