Town are hoping to sign AFC Wimbledon striker Ali Al-Hamadi before the transfer window closes next Thursday.

Two new number nines have been top of the Blues’ wish-list throughout January and Town now have their sights on Al-Hamadi.

The 21-year-old is currently away with Iraq at the AFC Asian Cup, helping them to top their group, which also included Elkan Baggott’s Indonesia.

Al-Hamadi was born in Iraq but moved to Liverpool in 2003 as a one-year-old during the Iraq War.

Having been a youth player with Tranmere and Swansea, the 6ft 2in tall frontman joined Wycombe Wanderers in 2021 following a trial but made his first senior appearances during a loan spell in the National League with Bromley.

Having been a regular for the Chairboys in League One throughout 2021/22 and in the first half of the following season, Al-Hamadi, who has been capped 12 times by Iraq, scoring three goals, moved on to Wimbledon in League Two on a free transfer in January 2023.

Since then, he has scored 27 goals in 40 starts and eight sub appearances for the Wombles, including 17 this season.

In December, Peterborough were linked with a £1.5 million move for Al-Hamadi, a claim which was subsequently dismissed by Posh.

He missed Wimbledon’s recent FA Cup tie with the Blues as he was away at the Asian Cup.

With Iraq having hopes of progressing a long way into the competition, Al-Hamadi may not be available to the Blues until more than a week into February should a deal be done before the Thursday 1st February 11pm deadline.

The Blues are in need of two strikers during this window with Dane Scarlett having been recalled by parent club Spurs and George Hirst having undergone hamstring surgery which will keep him out for most of the rest of the season.

Long-time target Jay Stansfield is set to stay on loan at Birmingham from Fulham the Midlanders have confirmed, while we understand there has been no progress on the Blues’ move for Blackburn striker Sam Gallagher, while it’s reported that former Town striker Kieffer Moore is now expected to stay at AFC Bournemouth.

Photo: Imago Images Sports

Europablue added 14:38 - Jan 25 We can only think of the things we can control. We can only do our best and whatever will be will be. I'm certainly not going to criticize a signing before the signing has even been made and without giving the player a chance to settle in. We all agree that we are short on numbers and KM needs to bring someone in, we just have to accept that he and everyone is doing their best and if it doesn't work out, it wasn't for want of trying.

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GTRKing added 14:41 - Jan 25 this window has been hard in getting players in, he is one for the future but lets give him a chance but doubt he is the answer for our promotion push this season,
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rugbytomc added 14:42 - Jan 25 I watched the video of his highlights having never heard of him before. Seems to have a reasonable amount of pace and strength and scores with both feet. Jackson was a L2 striker now playing for us in the Championship so no reason this lad can’t make the grade either. Also-Peterborough usually have a good eye for strikers so I like the fact they’ve been linked with him! If he’s striker 1 of 2 I’d be happy with that

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Sandman180 added 14:48 - Jan 25 @ITFCSG - the teams you've referenced have all recently come down from the premier league, with their squads still fairly intact; in fact, only Piroe of the players listed above has been purchased by the aforementioned clubs whilst in the championship. The striking options available at present are slim - we'd all LIKE a star, marquee signing, but working within FFP, vs other big clubs, in what is an already saturated market, it makes things tricky - you have to be shrewd, and i think this would fall into that category. We all know there's a gulf in glass between making the step up divisions, but there's enough success stories to counter this, two of which are in the England squads at present (Ollie Watkins LG 2 Exeter to Brentford, James Maddison, LG 1 Coventry to Norwich etc) Al-Hamadi is one of the most sought after strikers in the football league at present, with a host of other championship teams interested; he's young, direct, quick and strong, as well as being 6ft 2, with the ability to hold the ball up well. There's all the potential there for him to make an impact - at 21, he's probably still a bit rough around the edges, but i advise you to watch a few of the compilations of his performances on Youtube/Twitter, as well as seeing what the general consensus is with the AFC fans and fellow LG 2 opposition supporters who's sides have faced him so far this season. Less of the pessimism, and trust the recruitment team to get it right, hey?

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Marcus added 14:51 - Jan 25 I feel this is one of two being targeted. One for now, one for development. Still, Al-Hamadi is a decent striker and could be a useful option should he prove his ability at our level.
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cordonblue added 14:53 - Jan 25 Some crazy comments in response to this... This would be a really exciting signing, potentially huge ceiling and someone I was hopeful we would be interested in. There is never a guarantee but looks like he has the capability to step up to the level.
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BobbyBell added 14:53 - Jan 25 KMK has his way of playing and if he thinks this lad is a good fit then we must trust him. A young lad eager to learn and who is not adverse to doing the hard work involved in pressing and chasing down. Personally I'm happy for KMK and his team to develop young players into the Ipswich way. This would be a great move for him.
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Len_Brennan added 15:01 - Jan 25 We were going to looking at recruiting a centre forward to help our promotion push even before Hirst got injured, so the release of Freddie was already planned. Clearly Al Hamadi cannot be the replacement for Hirst as we try to hold off Southampton & Leeds, so he must be being looked at in place of Freddie (or Scarlett) Is he a better option off the bench? I don't know, maybe, or perhaps maybe in time, but certainly he is not someone that I was expecting us to be looking at this window as a key signing to help fire us into the Premiership, especially given that he hasn't proven himself at League 1 level yet. If we are only starting to consider him now, a week before the window shuts, it does suggest that we have accepted defeat in our pursuit of more desirable options & does somewhat resemble the late capture of Ahadme, who had good League 1 form, when we couldn't get Hirst last season. Would we be happy if half of our striker solution this window was bringing a fit Ahadme back for the Championship run in? I fully expect that we have another, more experienced, striker lined up to come straight into the starting line up for the Preston game, but again the names we have been linked with since Christmas are starting to drop off the radar of late, which is little concerning; even if we do sign Gallagher, it'll be a disappointment now after the expectations we've had of a £3m+ Premier League quality signing that would bang in some goals for us. His fitness & injury record wouldn't fill us with confidence either, given how vital a signing this will be.

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dusth added 15:02 - Jan 25 Forgetting my flippant comment above that's a hell of a lot of goals in not many games at a very young age. If he's fast and strong he must be worth a punt failing more obvious targets.
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Kitman added 15:08 - Jan 25 Its one where we just have to trust the judgement of our manager and his team. Seems a tricky one to get your head round from a pure supporter angle but there must be something in the lad that we can't clearly see but the boss can?
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Bazza8564 added 15:10 - Jan 25 Well Adhame broke his foot against Plymouth pretty much first time out and Camara developed a groin injury that required 3 surgeries so I don't think thats very fair. We bought Mariner from Plymouth and look how he developed. I also remember a young Ian Rush at Chester, that panned out OK. At 21 he is playing International football and he scores goals, do people really think we can sign Harry Kane. Young, Hungry, Athletic and technically good. Ill back KMs judgement on this one

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GTRKing added 15:19 - Jan 25 let's hope he scores goals for us, at 21 looks a good buy if bought on the cheap, good young player for the future
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SickParrot added 15:20 - Jan 25 I've not seen him play but it sounds like he has all the attributes that we need and if KM rates him that's good enough for me. Like others have said, I assume that he's not seen as the replacement for Hirst but as a longer term development. That's fine as long as we do sign a championship ready centre forward aswell.
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Rimsy added 15:35 - Jan 25 Can't say I know anything about him, but suits the profile of a young player we can improve and increase value. Sure he won't be coming as our main striker, one more to follow.
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Jameslboon added 15:37 - Jan 25 This has got panic buy written all over it. I really trust in the club but i honestly do think this is good business. Might as well recall Adhame back or give our young lads a go.
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Rimsy added 15:37 - Jan 25 Can't say I know anything about him, but suits the profile of a young player we can improve and increase value. Sure he won't be coming as our main striker, one more to follow.
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Carberry added 15:38 - Jan 25 blues1, if Wycombe are selling to Wimbledon they are off loading him.
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Gforce added 15:39 - Jan 25 Hopefully a more experienced striker signing is on the way and this guy would be back up,along with Jackson.
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EastLondonBlue added 15:41 - Jan 25 I suspect (hope) this is the starter rather than the main course!
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ITFC_95 added 15:41 - Jan 25 Some people on here either haven’t been listening or don’t understand the FFP restrictions that we are under (and the subsequent points deductions for failing to meet them). Stepping up from league 2 to the championship is a huge task that not many can do but the reality is we can’t afford to get anyone who is available at our current level and stay within FFP. If we spend £5m on a striker now we realistically still won’t be shopping in the same market as Leicester Leeds and Southampton. Anyone calling for a striker with premier league experience is living in a dreamworld.

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blues1 added 15:44 - Jan 25 ITFCSG. Are you really trumping to use Leeds and Southampton, with strikers they had in the pl, and with parachute payments, to suggest we should be signing players of that calibre? Simple fact is, we can't. So,we have to get tje beat we can. I very much doubt this guy would be the only striker we sign , so let's all just wait and see shall we?
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ipswichboi added 15:46 - Jan 25 For those saying to recall Ahadme.. it is worth noting that Gassan got a stress fracture (foot) at the end of Dec. so will be out for another 6 weeks minimum. I like the sound of this young lad personally.
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BeattiesBackPocket added 15:46 - Jan 25 As someone has already said Vardy was signed from Fleetwood it’s always a risk signing someone from a lower league but he’s young and has the same style as Hirst by the looks of it. Regarding some on here being disappointed by lack of signings etc please tell me what significant signings have been made so far anywhere even the premier leagues clubs are struggling getting people in and until clubs sign players they won’t release anyone either so not many will be coming down from a higher league. Please be real people it’s not just us struggling to get people in!!!

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blues1 added 15:52 - Jan 25 Barberry. Or maybe wimbledon put in an acceptable offer for him. Or maybe the player was refusing to sign a new contract, so sold him rather than lose him for nothing in the summer. So not a case of offloading him then, is it.
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joyousblue added 15:52 - Jan 25 Blues1 anongst all the moaners on here , your comments are brilliant could not agree more
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