Sunderland's new signing Joe Gelhardt put football ahead of finance when he decided to move to Wearside, according to Tony Mowbray. The Black Cats landed the Leeds United striker on loan until the end of the season, beating off interest from numerous Championship clubs including fellow play-off contenders Middlesbrough and Blackburn Rovers, along with Gelhardt's former side Wigan Athletic who wanted them to aid their relegation battle.
As established Championship sides, Boro and Blackburn have higher budgets than newly-promoted Sunderland, but Gelhardt chose to move to the Stadium of Light where he feels he can thrive playing the brand of attacking football that Mowbray has instilled in a team that includes the likes of Amad, Patrick Roberts, and Jack Clarke. Mowbray said of Gelhardt: "We’re delighted he's here.
"We're fully aware of the financially better off football clubs that wanted to take Joe Gelhardt and yet I hope he wanted to do the football project, he could see the talent at the front end of the field who can get the ball to him and that he feels he can come and help us score goals. It's a young team, it’s not as though there's a load of old guys around him telling him what to do.
