Stoke City must try beat Leeds and Sunderland to striker transfer, it makes sense: View

The Potters made a lot of summer signings, but they should still be looking to add AFC Wimbledon striker Ali Al-Hamadi to their ranks in January

Stoke City have struggled to find their footing this season after significant squad changes, but recent form has improved with 10 points from the last four matches.

The team still faces issues in the goalscoring department and may be looking to bolster their attacking options in the January transfer window.

One potential target is Ali Al-Hamadi, a young and promising striker currently playing for AFC Wimbledon, who has shown both goal-scoring and creative abilities. Other clubs like Leeds United and Sunderland are also reportedly interested in him.

Stoke City needed to have a big reset this past summer after four straight bottom half finishes in the Championship, and Alex Neil was given the tools to do just that.

10 players who had been in or around the first-team in recent years departed the Bet365 Stadium, and a mammoth 18 new arrivals were sanctioned, including a couple of returnees such as Ben Pearson and Ki-Jana Hoever.

Like any club that makes so many changes over a short period of time to their squad though, Stoke are yet to fully gel and hit their full stride, and after 15 matches they currently sit 13th in the table.

A five-match winless streak and a run of just one win and six losses from eight matches saw pressure grow on Neil from the terraces, but form has picked up in their last four outings, with 10 points racked up out of a possible 12.

The Potters are still five points outside of the play-off plcaes though and there are still issues to address with Neil’s side – namely their lack of a real goalscorer at the top end of the pitch.

Stoke City’s striker issue

City invested money into their attacking unit over the summer, not just in the wide areas with Sead Haksabanovic, Mehdi Leris, Andre Vidigal and Nikola Jojić, but also central areas with the addition of Morocco international Ryan Mmaee and ex-Aston Villa man Wesley.

With the Brazilian yet to score in 13 appearances though and Mmaee only netting once in his six outings so far, having missed action through injuries, there is still potentially scope to go into the January window at the start of 2024 with a striker on Neil’s mind.

Tyrese Campbell has been sidelined with injury since and hadn’t scored in his five Championship appearances this season before that, whilst Dwight Gayle has started Stoke’s last two matches but it is unlikely that he will get an extended deal beyond the end of the season due to his age and goal record in the Potterie

And it is believed that the club have been scouting an exciting EFL striker in the form of Ali Al-Hamadi, according to the Sunday Mirror Sports Editor Darren Witcoop, and the Iraq international could really provide what Neil and Stoke have been missing in the final third.

 

What could Ali Al-Hamadi bring to Stoke?

At the age of 21, Al-Hamadi is at a stage of his career where he looks to be one of the top strikers in League Two for AFC Wimbledon, but he still has a lot to learn.

Gaining experience on the international stage for Iraq, with seven caps to his name so far, will better the youngster as well, but so will regular game-time, which is what he has been getting for the Dons.

After being used sparingly at Wycombe Wanderers, Wimbledon snapped Al-Hamadi up less than a year ago in January, and it appeared that Johnnie Jackson had a real talent on his hands when the forward scored 10 goals in his first half-season at Plough Lane.

And Al-Hamadi has continued his form into 2023-24, scoring five times and also notching five assists in 17 appearances in all competitions, with the creative side of his game something he has been able to develop alongside his finishing abilities.

A good finisher of the ball, Al-Hamadi also looks to dribble at defenders as well, and whilst Stoke have plenty of wingers who can attack full-backs with the ball, having a powerful player going through the middle at centre-backs too could be an asset.

The former Swansea man has pace on his side as well, which makes him somewhat a complete striker for League Two level, and he;’s ready to make the step up and Stoke should be making the biggest play.

There are a few issues to deal with for Stoke though – Wimbledon want over £1.2 million for the striker and it’s likely to be pushing more towards the £2 million mark, and considering the Potters spent a considerable amount over the summer, there may be little room for manouevre in January.

Weekly Wages: Stoke City’s Top-10 Highest Earners (Ranked)

And with the likes of Leeds United and Sunderland also scouting Al-Hamadi, they could both represent a more attractive move for the forward for either monetary reasons, the size of the clubs involved or in Sunderland’s case their track record of giving youth their game-time.

Stoke though are also investing in youth, which is why it wouldn’t be a shock for Neil to make a move for Al-Hamadi when January arrives.