Joe Gelhardt has opened up on his summer move to Hull City, revealing he thought the transfer would not happen before an 11th-hour intervention from owner Acun Ilicali.

Former Leeds United forward Joe Gelhardt has revealed the dramatic circumstances surrounding his summer transfer to Hull City, disclosing that he believed the deal had collapsed until Hull owner Acun Ilicali stepped in at the final moment.

The striker, who had been instrumental during two loan stints at the MKM Stadium in preserving the Tigers' Championship status before their memorable promotion campaign last term, was on the verge of joining Birmingham City.

Having reached an agreement with Leeds, Ilicali telephoned Gelhardt while he was packing his belongings for a medical at St Andrew's, informing him of his desire to secure a permanent return to East Yorkshire.

The 24-year-old's homecoming proved far from straightforward, as he arrived carrying an ankle problem that ruled him out of the opening fixtures of the campaign.

Gelhardt acknowledges the injury setback proved deeply frustrating, though he recognised the importance of accepting the situation and concentrating on his rehabilitation, which made his strike against Everton last weekend particularly satisfying.

"I picked up an injury like a week into pre-season with my ankle, so I was out for about six weeks with that," he told Hull Live. "It wasn't supposed to be that at first, but when I did my medical at Hull, they found something else, so it was just a bit longer, but it gave me time to get fit properly and make sure it was fine, rehab it properly. I feel good now, I'm ready to go."

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Gelhardt returned to Thorpe Arch in the summer fully aware that his future lay elsewhere, but an injury setback cost him valuable pre-season training time.

Once back to full fitness, he channelled all his energy into preparing himself for his next move, which appeared to be heading towards a Championship stint with Birmingham City.

"I thought that I'm gonna give it one hundred per cent and get as fit as I can, so when I do get a move, I'm ready to go, I'm ready to hit the ground running. When the injury came, I was a bit frustrated, but there was nothing I could do, really. When I went back there (to Leeds), I just had to try and get fit as quickly as possible."

With his bags already packed and a medical at Birmingham City on the horizon, a timely phone call from Acun Ilicali presented him with the prospect of a sentimental homecoming to the MKM Stadium. Despite their disappointment at missing out on a long-sought target, Gelhardt was full of praise for how the Blues handled the situation.

"I thought I was gonna come back here, but then as the off-season went on, I sort of got my head around it a little bit that maybe it might not happen," he explained. "Birmingham showed interest, and they were top class the whole way through. They were very understanding when I did nearly join, and Hull came when they rang, so they were very understanding, and they were top class as I say all the way through it, so credit to them."

Gelhardt's spell at Leeds began promisingly but faded during the latter stages of his time in West Yorkshire, and despite having another year on his contract, he feels a clean break benefited both himself and the club.

"At the start, I think I was 18, very young, going to a club - I didn't know how big Leeds were when I first joined," he confessed. "I'd say it was a successful first two years, and then not so much at the end. I didn't play much, but that's football, and that happens. I went on loan a few times here, twice, Sunderland once, I think it was the right decision for both parties to cut off early.

"For me personally, I think it was the perfect situation. I knew I weren't gonna play at Leeds, and I wanted to be back here at Hull, and they knew that as well, so then for it to actually happen was the perfect scenario for me."