Only time will tell who has received the better end of Ipswich Town’s seven-figure transfer

admin | February 3, 2024 | Other Clubs | No Comments

Ipswich Town signed Ali Al-Hamadi from AFC Wimbledon for £1 million, although his success at Portman Road remains to be seen.

The Tractor Boys were aiming to improve their already impressive squad last month as they pursued promotion to the Premier League for the first time in almost two decades.

They are now second in the Championship, with only top-place Leicester City receiving more points than them in the first half of the season.

Keiran McKenna’s team has sought reinforcements from the lower levels to replace the injured George Hirst, as Leeds United and Southampton are gaining momentum.

Al-Hamadi joins Ipswich

Ipswich Town recently announced that they had signed Wimbledon striker Al-Hamadi on a permanent basis in order to improve their squad in preparation for promotion to the Premier League.

The Championship club announced the deal this week, following an excellent season and a half for the Iraqi striker.The rumored £1 million transfer cost for the attacker has reportedly shattered Wimbledon’s record for a player fee in their history, highlighting the significance of the transfer for the club.

Wimbledon is a fan-owned club, so an additional million pounds would be big. Their whole playing budget in 2021 was £1.8 million, therefore the relocation could have a significant impact on their future finances.

The Dons striker is one of the best scorers in League Two, with 13 goals already. Despite playing in the fourth division, he has international experience, having scored three goals for Iraq in 11 games.

The attacker also has a creative aspect to his game, having helped his teammates six times so far this year. This expertise can be put to good use at Ipswich, where Nathan Broadhead, Wes Burns, and Conor Chaplin are all capable of scoring goals with him.

Hirst’s injury left the Tractor Boys without a starting striker for several months, perhaps terminating their season.

No way of knowing if Al-Hamadi will be a success

On the surface, it appears to be a fair agreement for both clubs; nevertheless, nothing is certain in football.

Al-Hamadi has impressed for the Dons, but this is his first productive season. Prior to joining Wimbledon, Al-Hamadi had only scored three senior goals in two years and struggled for playing time at Wycombe Wanderers and Bromley, despite having 27 goals in 48 outings.

Purchasing a player who has only performed for a short period of time could be a significant risk, and McKenna will hope that the Iraq international is not simply on a good run of form that does not reflect his genuine potential.

Another issue is that the striker has only ever scored goals in League Two, a significant step down from the Championship. While it is not uncommon for strikers to make the jump up from the lesser leagues (like Jamie Vardy or Jordan Rhodes), it is far from a guarantee, and Ipswich should be mindful of this.

It may take some time for him to adjust to the higher division, which the team cannot afford as they compete for the top two spots.

Another thing to consider is whether Al-Hamadi can replace Hirst’s work.Both players have scored and assisted this season, and they can create an avenue for the players around them to shine. However, whether the former Wimbledon forward can fill Hirst’s role in McKenna’s system remains to be seen.

While the £1 million appears to be a terrific investment by Wimbledon, it is critical that the club spend the money wisely in the future while retaining their on-field aspirations. The timing of the transfer was certainly not ideal, and it might wreck the Dons’ season if they are not careful, but the money was simply too good to pass up.

Both sides may consider the move as beneficial in the long run, depending on the factors outlined above. Only then can we determine whether this action was a success or a failure on both ends.