Hull City transfer news: Leeds United forward replays 'perfect match'

The 23-year-old was registered in time to feature in Saturday’s Championship opener at Coventry City.

Gelhardt spent the second half of last term on loan with the Tigers.

"I made it clear I wanted to come back here," said the Merseysider. “I loved my time here last year – everyone was so welcoming and friendly. It’s a great club to be at, and the lads have spoken very highly of the new manager. “The people here, the city, the fans – everything about last season was just the perfect match. I was probably the happiest I’ve been in my football career during the last few months I spent here last year. “It’s a season-long loan this time, so being in from the start and having a whole year with the lads is going to be better than three or four months. “We know we can do a lot better than last season. With the new signings, we’ve got a lot of quality in the team. “I was back with Leeds for pre-season and played a few games – 45, 60 and 90 minutes, so I’m feeling fitter than I’ve ever been. “Thanks to the fans for the support from last year. I’m made up to be back and the fans played a big part in that.”

The return of the forward comes days after the Tigers won a hotly-contested race for for former Sheffield United, Barnsley and Bradford City striker Oli McBurnie.

Financial problems have been a theme of Hull's summer with two very short-lived transfer embargoes and transfer fee restrictions imposed for the next three windows. Hull have appealed against the latter punishment, but are not now expecting a verdict until next week.

In the meantime they have been restricted to free transfers and loans not carrying a fee.

So it is a significant fillip to land Gelhardt, one of their star performers in the second half of last season.

After joining in January, Gelhardt scored five goals in 20 games playing across the "three-quarter line" of players between the two holding midfielders and lone centre-forward in previous coach Ruben Selles' preferred formation.

Hull as a team only scored 44 goals in the 2024-25 Championship. Six-goal top-scorer Joao Pedro left in the summer, and Kyle Joseph (eight) and Abu Kamara (five) is the only other player in the squad to score more than three league goals last season – even including the seven other players signed this summer. Joseph’s scored all his Blackpool before moving in January.

Gelhardt joined Leeds as a highly-rated youngster from Wigan Athletic in 2020 and has made 57 competitive appearances for them, but only eight in the league. He has scored three times for them in all competitions.

His last league start for the Whites was in August 2023 and he has not featured in either of their public pre-season friendlies this summer, but he showed his qualities in black-and-amber earlier this year, and Hull will be excited to have him back.

They are also closing in on the signing of winger David Akintola, who was released by Turkish club Caykur Rizespor at the end of last season.

Akin Famewo, Semi Ajayi, Dillon Phillips and Enis Destan have also joined on free transfers this summer, with John Lundstram and Joel Ndala arriving on loan.

The transfer window closes at 7pm on September 1.