Preston have a loan striker thriving in Cameron Archer, but it could have been Joe Gelhardt in his position; instead, he’s a Leeds United hero.
Archer joined North End on loan from Aston Villa in January after Preston missed out on a number of Premier League loan signings last summer.
Brighton and Hove Albion duo Abdallah Sima and Andi Zeqiri were both targets but went elsewhere, signing for Stoke City and Augsburg respectively.
Another name Preston went for in the summer was Leeds United attacker Gelhardt, but the Whites blocked North End’s loan approach.
Former Wigan Athletic talent Gelhardt made a big impact against Preston in February 2020, so you can hardly blame North End for making a cheeky loan bid.
Gelhardt has only started two Premier League games for Leeds this season but has come off the bench 11 times, impressing fans in cameo displays.
Leeds deciding to reject Preston’s move has at least been justified by Gelhardt’s first-team minutes, and he made himself a hero on Sunday afternoon.
Brought on to try and grab a winner against Norwich City, Gelhardt did just that by firing home Raphinha’s pass.
Gelhardt’s goal sent Elland Road absolutely wild, securing a truly vital 2-1 victory having looked like dropping points at 1-1.
That goal gives Leeds real hope of staying in the Premier League, with 19-year-old Gelhardt scoring what could be a pivotal strike.
All things considered, that goal alone probably makes Leeds think they made the right decision in not allowing Gelhardt to join Preston on loan.
With a bigger role expected for Gelhardt next season, any chance of a loan switch to North End has likely disappeared now.