Ipswich Town: Captain Sam Morsy praises January recruit Ali Al-Hamadi

The 21-year-old made the switch to Suffolk after a run of red-hot form at AFC Wimbledon, bagging 27 goals and eight assists in 48 games for Johnnie Jackson’s side.

He made his debut for the Blues in last week’s defeat to Preston North End, looking lively in a nine-minute cameo where he almost found the back of the net.

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Morsy has tracked Al-Hamadi’s career leading up to his latest move, and he’s delighted to see him join the Ipswich squad as they continue to battle for promotion to the Premier League.

“I met him a few years ago,” the midfielder explained. “We always kept in touch on social media and I’ve always said to him, ‘look, if there’s anything you need, please contact me. I’m happy to help you.’

Al-Hamadi came close to scoring on his Town debut against Preston North End (Image: Pagepix)

“He’s such a good young lad as well. He’s got an infectious attitude and wants to do really well. He’s a really mature, funny guy, and it’s great to have him on board.

“Obviously I’ll help him as much as I can to develop as a player and a person.”

As a 21-year-old with no previous Championship experience, it may take time for Al-Hamadi to properly adapt to the level. The gap between the two divisions is big, and while he clearly has the potential to be an excellent player at the top level, patience will be needed for him to reach that stage.

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That being said, Morsy believes that he’s ready to have an impact both on and off the pitch, and with the platform to improve even further at Town, it makes him a ‘brilliant signing’ for the club.

“He’s only young but he’s very mature for his age,” the Egyptian said. “His background, he’s very happy to be here and he’s hungry. He’s looked really good in training, he’s lightning fast, he’s a finisher. I’m describing a really good player here, aren’t I?

“He’s good and he wants to do well. He’s got a great attitude – he’s not your normal 21-year-old, he’s very mature.

“I’m expecting a really big second half of the season from him, to be honest, because he’s ready. You can see when he comes on, he attacks everything well, he’s powerful, he’s aggressive. He’s going to be a really good signing.

Morsy highlighted the 21-year-old's maturity as a key strength (Image: Ross Halls)

“He gets stuck in straight away. He’s a very confident lad, like most Scousers are, really! They don’t take long to settle in, and he’s settled in straight away. He’s certainly added something to the dressing room, which is great.

“He’s fearless as well, and he should be, because he’s done really well to earn this move. He’s going to keep kicking on and produce what got him the move.”