Liam Delap finalised his transfer from Ipswich Town to Chelsea this week, but EFL Analysis understands another one of Kieran McKenna’s strikers faces an uncertain future.
Ipswich Town’s Premier League dream came crashing down last term, with Kieran McKenna’s men suffering an instant return to the Championship in 19th position.
Although McKenna had an expensively assembled squad to select from, there were only a few rare highlights, and one of those was Liam Delap.
The 22-year-old plundered 12 Premier League goals for the Tractor Boys, and now, Delap has completed his £30m move to Chelsea.
It leaves Ipswich needing to find a replacement for the Englishman, and he isn’t the only one poised to exit Portman Road.
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
Ipswich Town striker Ali Al-Hamadi faces an uncertain future
Ipswich are looking to invest in new strikers to not only replace Delap but complement the likes of George Hirst, Nathan Broadhead and Ali Al-Hamadi.
The one who arguably faces the most uncertain future, though, is Al-Hamadi, who spent the second half of the season on loan at Stoke City after playing just 124 minutes in the top flight.
To get the lowdown on where Ipswich currently stand with their striker situation, and particularly the future of the Iraq international, EFL Analysis spoke to Chief Football Correspondent Graeme Bailey.
“I’m not sure Al-Hamadi has much of a future there given how much we know that Ipswich are looking to invest in new strikers, but that depends on how many strikers Kieran McKenna wants,” Bailey said.
“He may want four strikers, which some teams do like and there’s history for it in terms of teams getting promoted. Could I see him going next season with four strikers? Why not?
“They’ve got the finances to do it. You can pay for it in that squad. So why wouldn’t they? And with someone like Al-Hamadi, he’s someone McKenna signed, so they do like him.
“Obviously he wasn’t available in the Premier League. But I think there’s a chance he stays. It would just depend on him if he wants to. Does he want to play? He’s not going to be leading the line, but if he fancies his chances of competing, he could stay. What we do know is they’re going to bring at least one big name in, but he could be one of four there.”
Al-Hamadi has to leave Ipswich for guaranteed minutes
Al-Hamadi’s journey from playing at AFC Wimbledon in League Two to the Premier League in less than a year was nothing short of remarkable.
But after a return of five goals in 27 appearances for Ipswich, the 23-year-old hasn’t discovered his prolific edge at a higher level.
For the striker to enjoy a successful 2025/26 campaign, he must seek to exit Ipswich, with other Championship clubs surely interested in taking him.
That is because, once Ipswich sign a big name to replace Delap, they will have Hirst challenging for first-choice, pushing Al-Hamadi further down the pecking order.
Al-Hamadi was labelled ‘incredible’ by teammate Hirst, but he’s yet to prove he can score goals in a promotion-chasing side, suggesting he should leave either on loan or permanently.