Blues manager Kieran McKenna believes striker Ali Al-Hamadi a forward player of really high potential.

The 21-year-old joined Town on Monday from AFC Wimbledon for an initial fee of just over £1 million, his former club Wycombe Wanderers, who he gave him a free transfer last January, receiving 25 per cent of the fee.

Al-Hamadi trained with the Town squad for the first time today having missed Iraq’s final game at the Asian Cup with a back problem and it’s expected he will go straight into the squad for tomorrow’s game at Preston.

“He's somebody that we've watched quite closely and is a really high potential forward player, we think,” McKenna said.

“He's had a fantastic 12 months. We think he's got a lot of growth still to come, and he really fits our recruitment model.
 
“We know that to be competitive in this division we have to, at times, find other ways to do it.

“We've brought in players over the last couple of windows who maybe weren't playing at the previous club or maybe hadn't been successful recently, and you're able to attract them for a better price.

“And with Ali, he's making a step up from League Two, but we think he's got fantastic raw ingredients and potential to make that step up, and we think this is a really good environment for him to do it in.
 
“And he's, we think, hopefully, a really good acquisition for the football club, and someone who can also come and help us in the second half of the season.”

Photo: ITFC

SussexTractor added 21:40 - Feb 2 In KM we trust, otherwise £1 million quid on a gamble at this level.
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PimsNumber1 added 12:11 - Feb 3 I think he will prove to be a bargain and an extremely talented player .Played for Iraq aged 19 ...his scoring record is hot even if at league 2 level.A very exciting signing
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