Joe Gelhardt 'wanted' by Rangers as Celtic loan transfer scuppered by red tape

Rangers could launch a loan move for Leeds United frontman Joe Gelhardt in January.

Gers boss Philippe Clement wants to bolster his attacking options after watching his goal-shy side score just 17 times from 12 league games this season. Last season's top scorer Cyriel Dessers has toiled in front of goal, while £6million Brazilian striker Danilo has endured another injury-hit campaign. Rookie Moroccan forward Hamza Igamane has featured sparingly but has notched just one goal.

Clement knows he must add more firepower to his struggling frontline as he attempts to save his job and breath some life into a miserable season. And the Yorkshire Evening Post claims that the Light Blues are one of ten clubs who have registered an interest in young English forward Gelhardt.

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The newspaper reports that a switch to Celtic was on the cards in January, but the deal was scuppered due to the Lily Whites hitting their limit of loan players at foreign clubs. Instead, the 22-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan with Sunderland, scoring three goals in 20 outings for the Black Cats.

Now, it's stated that Gers, Portsmouth, Stoke City, Plymouth Argyle, Preston North End and and two Belgian clubs are all keeping tabs on Gelhardt, who has fallen completely out of favour at Elland Road this season.

The Liverpool-born striker - who can also play out wide - has registered just eight minutes of Championship football, with his only start coming in August's 3-0 EFL Cup defeat to Middlesbrough. And it's unlikely boss Daniel Farke will stand in his way should clubs step up their interest when the winter window opens.

Speaking recently, Farke was quizzed on the versatile attacker's lack of game time. He said: "Obviously Joffy was struggling also with a few minor injuries in the last weeks. It's also tough, because he's such a top class character and gives everything in each of the training sessions. I love to have him around. He's homegrown. In each of the training sessions, he puts his heart really out. But the truth also, there's lots of quality options in this position.

"It's tough for [Gelhardt], but I have to praise him for his attitude and his workload and training performances. So we also need this. And he has to make sure that he prepares himself for the moment when the chance will come. Sometimes there is a chance out of injuries, illnesses, bookings, or perhaps when a player has perhaps a poorer period and is not delivering. Then his time will come."