A striker linked with a move to Birmingham City is available for no more than £4m, according to a new report.

Newly-promoted Birmingham City have learned the likely asking price for one of their rumoured summer transfer targets, according to new a new report.

The Yorkshire Post claim that Leeds United have placed a price tag in the region of £3-4m for forward Joe Gelhardt, who spent the second half of the 2024/25 season on loan at Hull City and proved instrumental in helping the Tigers to maintain their Championship status.

Birmingham may face competition for the 23-year-old, whose playing style was compared to that of Wayne Rooney when he was a highly-rated youngster at Wigan Athletic, but reports of the Blues’ interest have not died down as the transfer window opens for business.

£4m-rated Joe Gelhardt on Birmingham City’s shopping list

Gelhardt has been linked with a move to St. Andrew’s numerous times in recent weeks following Birmingham City’s promotion back to the second tier.

The striker, who represented England 28 times at age-group level, is also the subject of supposed interest from fellow Championship new boys Wrexham, and Hull City may also be interested after five goals in 20 appearances helped them to secure second-tier status in the 2024/25 season. Former Hull manager Ruben Selles praised Gelhardt’s contributions to the club’s successful battle against relegation, but with a new coach installed at the MKM Stadium it remains unclear whether they will compete for his signature.

Although Leeds are seeking up to £4m for Gelhardt as they prepare to offload fringe players after earning promotion to the Premier League, the Yorkshire Post suggest that he could also be allowed to leave on another loan deal, a possibility suggested as being “more realistic” given the finances involved in a deal for the forward, who has two years left on his contract at Elland Road.

Joe Gelhardt hoping to finally live up to Wayne Rooney comparisons

Gelhardt was regularly touted as a star of the future while coming through the youth ranks with Wigan, and was compared to a young Wayne Rooney on a number of occasions – but he struggled to live up to his billing following a move to Leeds in 2020.

The Liverpool-born player scored just three senior goals in 57 games for Leeds, but has fared better on loan, scoring three times for Sunderland during a temporary stint on Wearside during the 2022/23 season and impressing with Hull towards the end of their recently-concluded campaign.

That resurgence has prompted some hope that Gelhardt may be beginning to reach his potential, but £4m would still represent a significant gamble given his track record in the second tier so far. Birmingham have proven willing to splash out under the current ownership, but a loan deal may be more palatable as the Blues seek support for club record signing Jay Stansfield up front.

Birmingham have also been linked with a loan bid for 17-year-old Spurs starlet Mikey Moore as Chris Davies works to reshape his squad ahead of the club’s first season back in the Championship. Swansea City centre-half Harry Darling is another player whose name has cropped up in gossip columns.