Wigan Athletic Academy product joins Charlie Hughes at Hull City

The 22-year-old, who was sold to Leeds by the administrators in charge of Latics during the summer of 2020, will boost the Tigers' forward line for the second half of the campaign.

Gelhardt has struggled for game time at Leeds over the last couple of seasons, and has jumped at the chance to join former Latics Academy team-mate Charlie Hughes on Humberside.

And given his first senior goal came for Latics at Hull in September 2019, he's hoping the omens are good.

“It’s a happy moment for me. I’ve spoken to the manager about the plans and direction the club is going in and I can’t wait to get started and get playing," said Gelnardt.

“I’m really excited to work with the manager. He sees me more playing off the nine, maybe off the right or just behind. My best positions are striker or just behind the striker, trying to help assist and score goals for the team and trying to win games.

“Every footballer wants to train hard all week and get rewarded with playing on the weekend. That hasn’t happened for me in the last few years so I’m really excited to get playing again and get that matchday feeling back.”

Gelhardt was strongly linked with a loan return to Wigan in January 2023 to secure match minutes, with a then-senior club figure insisting a deal was imminent.

However, he ended up joining Sunderland instead.