Leeds are trying to sign the “clinical” star

Leeds United to rest from Priority action this weekend as they prepare to host Harrogate Town at Elland Road in the third round of the FA Cup.

White has an opportunity to give some of the fringe players in the group a chance, to see if any of them can deliver Daniel Farke selection headache ahead of the upcoming league matches.

Karl Darlow, after Illan Meslier’s mistakes against Hull City last time out, as seen in the highlights below, will get a game to show his ability between the sticks.

The former Newcastle United goalkeeper will be keen to show he has what it takes to progress in the Championship should Farke decide to make a switch between the sticks.

Mateo Joseph, with Patrick Bamford and Joel Piroe missing through injury, could also get a chance to lead the line from the start against League Two.

A big performance could be needed from the Spain U21 international, amid talk that Leeds are interested in adding another number nine to their squad during the January transfer window, which opened last week.

Leeds are eyeing a deal for the striker

According to Sky Sports reporter Ben HecknerThe Whites are eyeing a deal to sign Hoffenheim centre-forward Mergi Berisha to bolster their attacking options for the second half of the season.

The journalist claims that both Leeds and Germany’s Werder Bremen are interested in the former Germany international, meaning the Championship side may have to fight to secure his services before the end of the transfer window.

He adds that any deal could be structured to see the striker move to Elland Road on an 18-month loan, with an option to make the move permanent in the summer of 2026.

That would give Leeds or Werder Bremen the chance to own Berisha for the better part of two seasons before deciding whether or not they want to keep him long-term.

However, there is no mention of how much money Hoffenheim will be asking for a permanent option or how much they would like as a loan fee for the first 18 months, meaning it is difficult to gauge how worthwhile the deal is, financially, for the Whites at this point.

However, it is a move that could make a lot of sense for Leeds and would be one that would allow them to finally wave goodbye to Joe Gelhardt, who has been linked with a move away from West Yorkshire this month.

Why it could be the end for Joe Gelhardt

Speaking ahead of the clash with Harrogate, Farke made it clear that Gelhardt is free to talk to other clubs, but that he has not made a final decision on whether the striker will be allowed to leave in the current deadline.

WITH Bamford and Piroe came out injuredJoseph and the England striker are the only two senior centre-forward options for the German head coach this weekend, which may be why he is a little hesitant to approve a transfer at the moment.

However, bringing in an experienced number nine like Berisha would give the former Norwich City boss another quality option in that position, allowing him to send Gelhardt on his way without worrying about what it would do to his squad’s strength.

Championship contender Hull City is one of the clubs reportedly interested in signing A 22-year-old lad, who has failed to squeeze into Farke’s plans for the past 18 months.

As you can see in the table above, Gelhardt was rarely used by the Leeds manager and had little to no impact on the pitch in the limited time he had, with zero goals, zero assists and zero ‘big chances’ created.

So it would seem best for all parties involved to wave goodbye to the former Wigan man, either permanently or on loan, this month, and signing Berisha could be their way of doing so.

What Mergim Berisha could bring to Leeds

With the squad depth needed to part ways with Gelhardt, the German centre-forward could be an excellent addition to the squad for a number of reasons.

At the age of 26, Berisha is a fairly experienced striker, having played in the Bundesliga and for Germany at international level, and could become a fantastic mentor for Joseph, 21, to help him continue his development and fulfill his potential.

It would be a bit of a gamble for Leeds, as the striker has struggled for playing time since suffering ACL injury in November 2023, making it 251 days out.

Berisha, who is described as “clinical finisher” by Football Chatters analysts, he had already shown his quality at the top level in Germany, however, before that long injury layoff.

As you can see in the table above, the striker caught the eye in the 2022/23 season. Bundesliga for his former club Augsburg, with 13 straight goals in 23 games.

Ahead of that season, in the summer of 2022, it was announced that Jesse Marsch – then manager of Leeds – offer to bring him at Elland Road to bolster his attacking options at the time, as the gem scored 14 goals and ten assists in 28 league games for RB Salzburg in the 2020/21 season. under him.

In the end, the American boss failed to secure a job for his former star in Austria, but it could be a second stroke of luck for the Whites this month.

Although it would be a gamble, as Berisha did one goal and one assist in 11 Bundesliga games this term, signing the German ace on an initial 18-month loan could be a shrewd piece of business and allow Fake to wave Gelhardt goodbye.