Ali Al-Hamadi issues parting message on leaving Ipswich Town to join Championship Stoke City on loan

Ipswich Town striker Ali Al-Hamadi has issued a parting message after his loan move to Championship club Stoke City was confirmed.

The 22-year-old Iraqi international has joined Mark Robins’ relegation-threatened side until the end of the season, having passed a medical this morning with the formalities completed in time for him to play in tomorrow’s visit of Oxford United.

SuffolkNews’ Town media partners TWTD understand Stoke have paid the Blues a ‘substantial loan fee’ for the move “which is purely to the end of the season with no provision to become permanent”.

And Al-Hamadi, who becomes the first player in Kieran McKenna’s squad to depart in the January transfer window - freeing up a squad place - reacted by posting on his X account: “Really enjoyed the first half of the season. Good luck to all the boys and Kieran for the rest of it 💙”

The Liverpool-raised player, who was recruited from League Two AFC Wimbledon by the Blues last January with the fee understood to have risen to around £2 million following promotion, had also reportedly held talks with fellow Championship club West Bromwich Albion, now managed by former Town promotion winner Tony Mowbray. TWTD reports it broke down over the fee rather than the medical, given as the reason elsewhere.

Al-Hamadi, who underwent abductor surgery in the summer, had been the third-choice striker in McKenna’s squad and only started in two cup games so far this season, against his former club in the Carabao Cup and Bristol Rovers in the FA Cup.

Due to an injury to George Hirst he found himself being delpoyed of the bench to relieve Liam Delap in Premier League games, coming on 11 times without scoring. His only goal of the season so far came in the cup tie at AFC Wimbledon in August.

His total Town record so far is three starts, including one in the league, and 24 substitute appearances, scoring five goals.

Former Blues player Jon Walters, currently the sporting director at Stoke, told his club’s website: “Strikers of real pedigree are one of the hardest commodities to secure in any transfer window, so to get Ali over the line is a significant boost for us all.

“We know there has been significant interest from other clubs and are delighted he has opted to join Stoke City.

“Ali’s goalscoring record speaks for itself, but it’s his relentless hard-working approach that truly epitomises what we stand for as a club.

“We have no doubt that our fans will take to Ali, and we wish him every success in a Stoke City shirt.”