Premier League boss delivers update on future of Stoke City goal hero
Kieran McKenna insists that Ali Al-Hamadi still has a future at Ipswich Town despite sanctioning his January exit to Stoke City.
Al-Hamadi has joined Stoke on loan for the rest of the season, scoring on his debut last week after inheriting the number 9 shirt of Tom Cannon, who himself had bagged 11 goals on loan before being recalled by Leicester City earlier in the month an then sold to Sheffield United.
Al-Hamadi joined Ipswich 12 months previously from AFC Wimbledon and helped get promotion to the Premier League over the line, but he has been used exclusively as a substitute in the top flight, with competition for action from Liam Delap, Sammie Szmodics and fit-again George Hirst.
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McKenna has also let former Stoke loan defender Harry Clarke join the promotion-chasing Blades on loan, but he has stressed that he will be watching both players' progress ahead of their anticipated returns to Portman Road in pre-season.
He told the East Anglian Daily Times: “They are good opportunities for them. They are players who have done well here and players who still have a future at the club.
“But we always try to find the right balance between making sure we have enough cover and enough competition in the squad without having too much, and also letting players progress in their careers - both for themselves and their ambitions, but also for a football club to keep developing our assets as well.
“We feel like this is the right opportunity for both of those two boys is to go out and play. They are both still young and, of course, we'll keep in contact with them and keep a good eye on them. Hopefully they will have a good second half of the season in the Championship.”
Al-Hamadi, aged 22, is under contract at Ipswich until 2028.
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