Stoke City-linked Premier League striker 'having conversations' as club weigh up transfer
Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna claims there is 'quite a lot of interest from different clubs' in Stoke City-linked striker Ali Al-Hamadi.
Ipswich saw off stiff competition from other Championship clubs to sign Al-Hamadi, now aged 22, from AFC Wimbledon this time last year and he played an important role from the bench as they secured promotion to the Premier League.
But the Liverpool-raised Iraq centre-forward has been restricted to cameo roles in the top flight this term and Ipswich are expected to sanction an exit as they try to trim a 28-man squad over the next week or so.
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Al-Hamadi was expected to join West Brom on loan but that deal was pulled at the last minute but talks have started up again about what will happen next.
McKenna said at a press conference today: "I think it's possible with one or two. I've not had a full update today on every situation.
"Ali Al-Hamadi has been having some conversations, there's been quite a lot of interest from different clubs, so it's possible there might be some movement there. It has to be the right for him and the club.
"George Edmundson, of course, has been recalled (from Middlesbrough) but there's been discussions there. The club are working on those things alongside the players."
Ipswich are still looking for a centre-forward themselves to support Liam Delap.
McKenna, when asked if he would sanction an Al-Hamadi exit without first bringing in a new signing, said: "It's always a balancing act between what's the best for the club, which has to come first and foremost, but also what's best for the player.
"As I've said, ideally we'd like to have three more out-and-out number nines in the building with the profile that usually starts for us as a number nine.
"But, if you have lots of players in the supporting positions who have lots of different characteristics, plus two out-and-out strikers fit who can play the role in different variations, then that's also a possibility as well."
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