Ipswich Town will surely look to cash in on 15-cap international after Stoke City disappointment | OneFootball

Ali Al-Hamadi didn't impress much on loan at Stoke City last season, and will likely fail to make a real push into the Ipswich squad this campaign

It's safe to say that Ali Al-Hamadi's loan spell at Stoke City in the second half of the 2024/25 season didn't go the way that he or Ipswich Town would have hoped.

The 23-year-old, who has been capped 15 times by Iraq, was brought in by Kieran McKenna midway through their 2023/24 Championship promotion season following an incredible scoring spell in League Two at AFC Wimbledon to help bolster their attacking depth.

So, when the Tractor Boys found themselves in the Premier League six months later, it became clear that the jump from League Two to the top flight for Al-Hamadi would likely be just too big in such a short time, and he was subsequently sent out on loan in January to Stoke City.

However, the Potters struggled massively in front of goal across the entire season, and Al-Hamadi couldn't help them from netting an average of under a goal a game, as he scored just twice in 15 appearances.

Ipswich will likely be on the lookout for someone more proven to fill the void left by Liam Delap, so Al-Hamadi may be left to watch on from the sidelines once again.

If this is going to be the case, perhaps it would be best if the Tractor Boys cut ties completely with the Iraqi international.

Ipswich should look to recoup some money for Ali Al-Hamadi this summer

Ipswich spent a little over £1 million on Ali Al-Hamadi when they signed him from AFC Wimbledon in January 2024, and since then, he's started just one league game whilst at Portman Road - which was the dramatic 3-2 win over Southampton in April 2024.

Al-Hamadi was brought in simply to back up and bolster Ipswich's impressive attack, and was never seen as a first option, playing second and third fiddle to the likes of Kieffer Moore and George Hirst in the Championship, and then Liam Delap last season in the Premier League.

The loan move to Stoke in the second half of last season was almost a test for Al-Hamadi to prove that he could lead a line consistently in the Championship, and whilst he made a positive impact, scoring on his debut against Hull City, that was about as good as it got for the Iraqi forward.

Just one more goal followed, and by the end of the season, the 23-year-old was once again in and out of the squad, starting just three of the final seven games of the campaign under Mark Robins.

And, with Ipswich rumoured to be linked with other strikers to replace Liam Delap this summer, such as USA international Patrick Agyemang and Chelsea starlet Marc Guiu, the writing looks to be on the wall for Al-Hamadi to remain part of the squad at Portman Road.

So, if this is to be the case, perhaps a permanent deal would be better for either party, as Al-Hamadi's sale could still see Ipswich make a decent profit on his services - he's just seemingly not going to realise his potential in Suffolk.

Ali Al-Hamadi still holds plenty of promise elsewhere - staying at Ipswich Town though wouldn't be good for him

At just 23, Ali Al-Hamadi still has lots of potential to go and hit the ground running at a new side, if a sale was to be executed by Ipswich this summer.

The Iraq international has shown his goalscoring prowess whilst at Wimbledon, albeit at a much lower level, and he still has time left in his career to improve on that and make himself a household name at another club.

Arguably, the jump up to Ipswich was a step too far for the then-21-year-old, but there's no doubt that a top-end League One side or an attack-minded Championship outfit could swoop in, take Al-Hamadi, and nurture him back to his goalscoring best.

His loan move to Stoke may not have gone the way he wanted it to, but that shouldn't mean that Al-Hamadi should be written off as a Championship striker just yet.