Ipswich Town: Ali Al-Hamadi closing in on West Brom loan move
Ipswich Town striker Ali Al-Hamadi is closing close on a loan transfer to Championship side West Brom.
The Iraq international joined the Blues from League Two side AFC Wimbledon 12 months ago. He scored four goals in 14 games to help them gain promotion to the Premier League last season.
Unsurprisingly, minutes in the top division have been tougher to come by, with 11 appearances totaling only 125 minutes.
Injury and conditioning concerns have also pushed him back, with regular football plainly required to get him back on track.
A transfer to the Championship always appeared imminent, with Derby County and Oxford United previously connected.
However, West Brom are the team who are seeking to complete a trade, as originally reported by the Shropshire Star.
The Baggies presently lie sixth in the standings, ahead of Middlesbrough and Watford on goal difference.
They lost manager Carlos Corberan to Valencia shortly before Christmas, but have replaced him with former Town man Tony Mowbray, who took control of his first game last Saturday – a 1-1 draw at home to Stoke City.
Alex’s verdict
I queried Kieran McKenna about Al-Hamadi’s prospects earlier this month. He suggested that a loan departure was feasible if another striker is recruited, characterizing it as a ‘huge if’.
“We want to have three centre-forwards in the building, or three individuals who are comfortable in that position.
“We know that we usually employ two in pretty much every game while I’ve been here. It’s quite unlikely that we won’t employ two strikers, and of course, if you lose one, you’re a lot shorter.
“We want to have three forwards in the building. Hopefully if George Hirst can get through the very final portion now, we’ll have Liam [Delap], George and Ali in the building, which puts us in a fairly strong position.
“If we go like that until the end of the season, we’ll have some strong options there. If there are any changes in that, then of course the scenario might alter for the guys here.”
The move itself makes sense. Mowbray, of course, has significant ties with Ipswich owing to his tenure at the club.
West Brom need someone to replace the vacuum created by Josh Maja’s injury, with the 26-year-old poised for a protracted stint on the sidelines with a calf problem.
Al-Hamadi requires consistent minutes. Playing week in, week out, for a team pursuing a play-off berth would do him the world of good.
However, as McKenna alluded to, it can only truly happen if another striker is signed. Ipswich can’t go through the remainder of the year with only two out-and-out no.9’s, particularly considering Hirst’s injury record.
Ipswich undoubtedly have eyes on a new addition.
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