Bristol City ‘lead’ transfer race for Ipswich and Sheff Wed linked star

Bristol City are reportedly interested in signing AFC Wimbledon forward Ali Al-Hamadi but face competition from a Championship rival.

The 21-year-old is said to have been scouted by Brentford, Brighton, Burnley, Ipswich, Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday and now City are apprently joining the list of potential suitors. Transfer website Football Insider claim that Al-Hamadi is a target for both Bristol City and their Championship rivals Preston.

The report adds that City and Preston 'lead the race' for the striker amid interest from a number of Championship clubs. Wimbledon are said to be 'aware' of the interest but are reluctant to lose him and are awaiting a 'big offer' to part ways with him.

Al-Hamadi has only been at Plough Lane since January having made the move from Wycombe Wanderers, where he will have played alongside deadline day signing Anis Mehmeti. He was limited to nine substitute appearances with the Chairboys and failed to register a goal or an assist having been played as a winger, but found form when he moved to Wimbledon and was deployed as a striker. He bagged 10 goals and registered one assist in the 19 games he played under Johnnie Jackson, cementing himself as their first choice striker.

The five-time Iraq international is contracted until the summer of 2025, having penned a two-and-a-half-year deal with the South London club. He would command a transfer fee, and despite money being at Nigel Pearson's disposal this year, a new striker is not a priority. Ben House and Kevin Nisbet have been linked in recent weeks but are not expected to make the move to Ashton Gate this summer.

Jack Currie is already one target for the City this summer from Wimbledon, having made several attempts to sign him in the January transfer window. The Dons did not want to lose Currie after already parting ways with Ayoub Assal to Qatari outfit Al-Wakrah. City made several offers, and according to BristolLive yielded a £600,000 offer before negotiations came to an end. Wimbledon wanted to keep him until the end of the season and entertained the idea of selling him but getting him back on loan, but that was not something that City considered.

City however may have turned their attentions elsewhere in the market for a left-back with Joe Bryan expected to make a sensational return to the club. A host of Championship clubs including Cardiff City and Stoke City had been interested but Bryan is set on a return to the West Country once his contract with Fulham expires. Aberdeen's Ross McCrorie is another that should arrive in the coming weeks with talks of a £2m move from the Scottish Premiership ongoing.