adminAli Al-Hamadi Facing Uncertain Ipswich Future After Underwhelming Loan Spell.
Ali Al-Hamadi has yet to make a significant impact at Ipswich Town since joining from AFC Wimbledon in January 2024 for around £1 million. The 23-year-old striker scored four goals in 14 appearances during the latter half of the 2023/24 campaign, helping Kieran McKenna’s side seal promotion to the Premier League.
However, Al-Hamadi failed to score in 11 top-flight appearances in the first half of the 2024/25 season. That led to a loan move to Stoke City in January 2025, where he only managed two goals in 15 matches for a side battling near the bottom of the Championship.
With Liam Delap returning to Chelsea earlier this summer, there’s now a vacancy in Ipswich’s attack. But despite the opportunity, former Aston Villa midfielder and Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie has doubts over Al-Hamadi’s chances of securing a regular role.
Speaking to Football League World, Hendrie said:
“Al-Hamadi went to Stoke but didn’t meet expectations. He scored just a couple of goals, and being in a struggling side didn’t help him.
“Ipswich will want versatility up front, especially after losing Delap. Whether Al-Hamadi can step up is a real question. I don’t see him playing week in, week out right now.”
Hendrie added that Ipswich are likely to target a new first-choice striker, and if that happens, Al-Hamadi could once again find himself on the fringes.
Still a Prospect, But Not Ready to Lead the Line
Al-Hamadi’s strong record at Wimbledon — 27 goals and 8 assists in 48 appearances — shows he has raw talent. But with Ipswich aiming for an immediate return to the Premier League, they need a proven goalscorer at Championship level.
Two goals at Stoke haven’t convinced McKenna that Al-Hamadi is ready to lead the line, and unless he shows rapid development, another loan move may be the most realistic path for the Iraq international in the 2025/26 season.
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