Joe Gelhardt has been told by former Leeds United man Jermaine Beckford that a loan move to Wigan Athletic would 'create excitement' as the young forward looks to to decide his future this week.
Gelhardt has been heavily linked with a return to his former side on loan, as the Latics look to bring back the man who man joined the club at the age of 10 back in 2013. It is understood though that Sunderland have shown a late interest in the 20-year-old as they look to tempt him to the Stadium of Light instead, with Blackburn another name mentioned.
It is thought that Gelhardt's preference is to return to Wigan, but that both the club and the player will take their time assessing their options over what will be the best move for the forward who is tipped to have a bright future at Elland Road.
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Although there are many considerations ahead of a potential loan, Beckford has now insisted that should Gelhardt return to the DW Stadium, it will allow him to flourish in a familiar setting.
“Gelhardt going back to Wigan would create excitement," Beckford told the Athletic. "It would be like one of their own returning and that’s a good setting to be in.
"If he feels he’s got an itch he needs to scratch — that he’s got to be getting games and scoring goals — then it could be really beneficial. The way I looked at it [going on loan] was ‘go out, do what you do and come back fresh as a daisy, ready for next season.’ That’s got to be the attitude whoever he joins.”
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