---
title: "Leeds: Joe Gelhardt available vs Chelsea"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/leeds-joe-gelhardt-available-vs-chelsea/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Charlie Smith"
section: "Leeds United News"
published: "2022-08-21T06:43:26Z"
modified: "2022-08-21T06:43:26Z"
---

# Leeds: Joe Gelhardt available vs Chelsea

**Leeds United head coach Jesse Marsch has [confirmed](https://twitter.com/LUFC/status/1560607600508428289) that Joe Gelhardt is ‘ready to go’ against Chelsea.**

### The Lowdown: Southampton absence

Gelhardt made his first appearance of the season in Leeds’ opening weekend win vs Wolves but was missing a week later against Southampton.

Marsch [admitted](https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/leeds-united-boss-jesse-marsch-provides-update-on-patrick-bamfords-injury-and-reveals-why-joe-gelhardt-missed-southampton-draw-3804932) that the 20-year-old, labelled as [‘astonishing’](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/leeds-united-news/leeds-pundit-full-of-praise-for-astonishing-joe-gelhardt/) by Adrian Durham, didn’t travel due to a dead leg, adding that he didn’t want to ‘push’ the payer with midweek games coming up soon.

### The Latest: Gelhardt update

Leeds relayed comments from Marsch on their [official Twitter page](https://twitter.com/LUFC/status/1560607600508428289) regarding Gelhardt.

He confirmed the forward ‘is back and ready to go’, adding that Luke Ayling and Junior Firpo are also making good progress from their respective issues.

[![Latest Leeds United news!](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg)](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-49/)

### The Verdict: Good news

Patrick Bamford was withdrawn at St Mary’s with his own injury problem and seems to be [50/50](https://twitter.com/LUFC/status/1560607600508428289) for Sunday with Marsch evaluating the player day by day, so having Gelhardt back is a big boost.

\[freshpress-poll id=”404803″\]

He enjoyed a breakthrough season last year, contributing to [six](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/joe-gelhardt/leistungsdaten/spieler/503980/plus/0?saison=2021) Premier League goals in [730](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/joe-gelhardt/leistungsdaten/spieler/503980/plus/0?saison=2021) minutes of action, form that recently earned the player a [new long-term deal](https://www.leedsunited.com/news/team-news/30159/exciting-trio-sign-new-contracts-at-leeds-united#:~:text=Gelhardt%20has%20signed%20a%20deal,progressing%20into%20the%20first%20team.).

Due to concerns regarding Bamford’s fitness, Gelhardt may be given the nod from the off, or at least a part to play from the bench with Rodrigo potentially leading the line.