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Former England and Hull City manager Peter Taylor has urged the Tigers to secure Joe Gelhardt's signature from Leeds United, describing it as an obvious decision as the striker prepares to depart Elland Road. The Tigers continue to pursue Gelhardt, who has attracted strong interest from Championship rivals Birmingham City and Wrexham, although the Midlands club are currently leading the race ahead of the Welsh side. Manager Sergej Jakirovic has been vocal about his desire to bring the 24 year old back to the MKM Stadium permanently, with Gelhardt equally enthusiastic about returning to the club where he's featured 60 times across two fruitful loan periods. Sources suggest that should City reach an agreement with United for Gelhardt, the transfer would be completed swiftly, given the striker's eagerness to make East Yorkshire his permanent home. Taylor has urged City to match Leeds' valuation, believed to be approximately £4m for the player who has just 12 months remaining on his West Yorkshire contract. "I think if the manager wants him, then I think the owner should back him one hundred per cent because you know the manager's done an outstanding job," Taylor told the 1904 Club podcast. "We all can't believe that, you know, on the strength of when he joined, I don't think anybody was thinking that Hull City were going to be in the Premiership (Premier League), so he's done an absolutely outstanding job, and he should be rewarded. I think he's thinking of that changing room, as well as the squad that he's got available, and as well as everyday training. "You look at Chelsea, they've just signed (Danny) Welbeck and (Jordan) Henderson because they're good professionals, really, really good professionals, so I imagine the manager of Chelsea (Enzo Maresca) wants to get up in the morning and be happy when he drives into Chelsea's training ground, he wants to be happy in what he sees, he don't want to see people that are selfish players or whatever. "If the manager of Hull City knows this player, and wants this player, he's not going to cost a fortune; that to me is where the owner should be backing him, one hundred per cent. "If he's 24 and costs £5m, there's a fair chance, even if he wasn't a great success, he'd probably go and get £3m for him anyway, so it's a no-brainer."