"It is difficult" - Pundit reacts as Stoke City plot Ipswich Town transfer move | OneFootball

The Potters are desperately trying to find extra firepower this month after Tom Cannon's departure

Carlton Palmer believes Stoke City are going to have their work cut out replacing Tom Cannon this winter, but Ali Al-Hamadi could play some part in filling the void for the remainder of the campaign.

The Potters were left empty-handed earlier in the month after Leicester City decided to recall their striker from his loan spell at the bet365 Stadium, with a move to Sheffield United looking more likely by the day.

New boss Mark Robins now has the task of finding a new threat up top in the remainder of the transfer window, with links to both Liverpool’s Jayden Danns and Town’s Al-Hamadi appearing over the last few days, as well as Bristol City striker Fally Mayulu.

The latter has only played 125 minutes for the Tractor Boys in the top flight this season, and could be set for a move away from Portman Road, with Palmer believing he could be the answer if given the time to shine in the second tier.

Stoke City interested in Ali Al-Hamadi deal

According to the East Anglian Daily Times, City have registered an interest in either a permanent or loan deal for Al-Hamadi, as they look for someone to fill the boots of the departed Cannon.

It was something of a coup for the Staffordshire side to get the Foxes striker on loan back in the summer, with 11 goals in 25 appearances in all competitions proving just what a handful he can be in the final third.

With the attacker now looking set to be lining up for promotion-chasing Sheffield United before too long, attention now turns to Al-Hamadi, who only made the step up to the second tier this time last year, after moving to Ipswich from AFC Wimbledon.

The Iraq international netted 23 times in 42 league games before leaving the Dons, before adding a further four for Town on their way to promotion from the second tier, although had to be content with a bit-part role alongside the plethora of attacking options at Kieran McKenna’ disposal.

Four goals from 14 Championship appearances doesn’t set the World alight on paper, but with just 281 minutes of football in that time, the 22-year-old’s return works out at better than a goal a game, although Palmer believes Cannon’s departure will be hard to overcome.

The former Sheffield Wednesday man said: “It is difficult to replace somebody like Tom Cannon, he is proven at Championship level, a proven goalscorer, and somebody like Al-Hamadi has played mainly in League One and played in League Two.

“In League One he scored ten goals in 19 games for AFC Wimbledon, then in League Two he scored 13 goals in 23 games, and that is when all the interest was around him and he got his move to Ipswich Town.

“Then when he played in the Championship he played 14 games and scored four goals, and in eight Premier League games he hasn’t scored any goals.

“Tom Cannon is going to be hard to replace because he scores goals at Championship level, and if you are going to bring someone in of Tom Cannon’s ilk, you are going to have to pay an awful lot of money.”

Ali Al-Hamadi could play part in cushioning Tom Cannon, Stoke City departure

With just over a week remaining in the transfer window, Stoke will be doing all they can to add extra firepower to the club, with Cannon scoring over 33% of his side’s league goals before his departure earlier this month.

Replacing him will be tough, but Al-Hamadi has proven he can find the back of the net when given the opportunity to do so, and Palmer believes Mark Robins could be the man to get the best out of him if a move does take shape.

He continued: “Al-Hamadi is young at 22, he is very talented, and he is a good centre forward, and in 14 games in the Championship he scored four goals, so on that basis you are looking to see if he can get you ten goals in a season, and that might be what Mark Robins is looking at.

“Can he get eight to ten goals in the remainder of the games? If Mark Robins thinks Al-Hamadi can do that, then he could be a very good replacement.

“I like him, I think he is a good player and he is still young, but he is yet to be proven at Championship level. So it is a gamble, but if it is a loan or a reasonable permanent fee, then it is good business.”