Ipswich Town striker Ali Al-Hamadi is closing in on a loan move 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 appearances to help them secure promotion to the Premier League last season.

Unsurprisingly, minutes in the top flight have been harder to come by, with 11 cameos totalling just 125 minutes. Injury and fitness issues have also set him back, with regular football clearly needed to get him back on track.

A move to the Championship always felt likely, with Derby County and Oxford United previously linked. However, West Brom are the side that are trying to secure a deal, as first reported by the Shropshire Star.

The Baggies currently sit sixth in the table, ahead of Middlesbrough and Watford on goal difference. They lost manager Carlos Corberan to Valencia just before Christmas, but have replaced him with former Town man Tony Mowbray, who took charge of his first game last weekend - a 1-1 draw at home to Stoke City.

Former Town man Tony Mowbray is currently in charge of the Baggies (Image: PA)

Alex's verdict

I asked Kieran McKenna about Al-Hamadi's future earlier this month. He argued that a loan exit was possible if another striker is signed, describing it as a 'big if'.

"We like to have three centre-forwards in the building, or three people who are comfortable in that role.

"We know that we always use two in pretty much every game since I’ve been here. It’s very rare that we won’t use 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 come through the very last bit now, we’ll have Liam [Delap], George and Ali in the building, which leaves us in a pretty good 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 situation could change for the players here."

The move itself makes sense. Mowbray, of course, has strong links with Ipswich due to his time at the club. West Brom need someone to fill the void left by Josh Maja's injury, with the 26-year-old set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a calf issue.

Al-Hamadi needs regular minutes. Playing week in, week out, for a side hunting a play-off place would do him the world of good.

However, as McKenna alluded to, that can only really happen if another striker is signed. Ipswich can't go through the rest of the campaign with just two out-and-out no.9's, especially given Hirst's injury record.

Ipswich surely have eyes on a new recruit.