Last season, the 20-year-old made 20 league appearances for Leeds in the absence of their leading striker, Patrick Bamford, while scoring two and laying on four assists.
The centre-forward has featured in six matches for Jesse Marsch’s side this season but has yet to find the back of the net.
With Rodrigo being injured and Bamford not fully fit yet, Gelhardt got his first league start of the season against Brentford on Saturday.
Walton is of the opinion that the 20-year-old is being pressured with an unfair burden of being the number 9 for Leeds and stressed that Gelhardt needed a loan move for his personal development this season.
The ex-Leeds player believes that Gelhardt is not ready to play regularly in the Premier League yet, but a loan move can help him to gain regular game time and improve his fitness.
“I think I said it last week that for his personal development he needed a loan move”, Walton said on BBC Radio Leeds post match.
“I don’t think he is up to consistently starting in the Premier League yet.
“He may get to that level and he has shown potential to do that, but I think it is unfair of him to put all that pressure on his shoulders at the minute.
“Listen, in an ideal world I am not saying he is not up to it; I don’t think he is up to it at the moment, playing consistently as our number nine.
“I think he needed a loan move.
“I think he is a player who needs to go and play consistently and get some games and get fitter”.
Gelhardt signed a new five-year deal this summer with Leeds this summer and the player is highly rated at Elland Road.
