How Leeds United’s promotion to the Premier League may have handed Championship rival a transfer boost

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Leeds United were heartbroken after losing in the Championship play-off final last season, but almost 12 months on, the Whites can feel a sense of relief as they sealed promotion on Monday.

Leeds’ 6-0 victory over Stoke City put them on the brink of a Premier League return before Burnley’s 2-1 win against Sheffield United kickstarted celebrations in West Yorkshire.

As three points for the Clarets mathematically secured a return to the big time for Daniel Farke’s men, the Championship title is still up for grabs in the final two matches.

The Peacocks will be extra motivated by the extra prize money allocated to the title winners, and once the season draws to a close, planning can begin for their latest top-flight journey.

Farke will want to bolster his squad with some top-level talent to complement his current crop of stars, and there will also be movement out of Elland Road.

• READ MORE: How Leeds United and Burnley have just handed Premier League clubs a whopping £51m windfall

Leeds United’s promotion gives Hull City a greater chance of signing Joe Gelhardt

In the January transfer window, Leeds sent forward Joe Gelhardt on loan to Hull City, where he was tasked to contribute to their survival bid.

Gelhardt, who was dubbed ‘exciting’ by pundit Ali Maxwell, has been a revelation since arriving in East Yorkshire, with his brace against Preston on Monday taking him to five goals in 20 appearances for Hull.

The 22-year-old has not just impressed supporters with his eye for goal, as his terrier-like approach and ferocious pressing have been key ingredients under the guidance of Ruben Selles.

Gelhardt has played his best football as a number 10, seeing the above attributes flourish along with his ability to find dangerous pockets of space.

As such, Hull supporters want the Liverpool-born forward to return to the club in the summer, and Leeds’ promotion to the Premier League increases the chance of that happening.

The Tigers loanee struggled to break into Leeds’ side in the Championship, with Farke preferring Joel Piroe, Patrick Bamford and Mateo Joseph in those central attacking areas.

So, with Premier League football now on the horizon and new signings expected, there’s no chance of Gelhardt playing regularly in the top-flight, and he could favour a return to Hull instead.

• READ MORE: Daniel Farke betters a Leeds United record previously set by Marcelo Bielsa with two games to spare

Kyle Joseph has urged Gelhardt to stay at Hull

Unlike at Elland Road, where he’s low down the pecking order, Gelhardt is adored by his manager, fans and teammates at Hull City.

The forward is arguably playing some of the best football of his career, and ahead of the summer transfer window, teammate Kyle Joseph has urged him to stay.

“We’ve already told him, we’ve already said to him he’s got to come back next year,” Joseph told Hull Live.

“We’re in his ear every day, me and Chaz (Charlie Hughes), but no, it’s like he says, he loves it here, he’s enjoying it, and that’s the main thing.

Joseph even explained how much Gelhardt loved playing at the MKM Stadium, which suggests a deal could be done, as long as Hull stay in the Championship.

“He just laughs because he loves it here,” he added. “He always says, I think everywhere, every time he spoke to the media doing the press, he’s said that he loves it here and how much he loves playing under the manager, so I think that always helps, but at the end of the day it’s his decision, his and his family’s decision.”