Koumas hopes loan spells have earned him Liverpool future

Nation.Cymru staff & agencies

Wales forward Lewis Koumas says he hopes a series of loan spells have done enough to convince Liverpool’s next manager that he has a future at Anfield.

The 20-year-old is preparing for Wales’s upcoming friendlies against Ghana and Romania while awaiting clarity over his club future following a season spent away from Merseyside.

Koumas burst onto the scene in February 2024 when he scored on his Liverpool debut in an FA Cup tie against Southampton, becoming one of the club’s youngest-ever goalscorers.

Despite that dream start, he failed to make a senior appearance under Arne Slot and was sent out on loan after the Dutchman took charge at Anfield.

Since then, the Wales international has gained experience across the Championship with spells at Stoke City, Birmingham City and Hull City.

Speaking ahead of Wales’s summer fixtures, Koumas said: “I’m not really too sure about the future but I’m really happy with the way I’ve developed over the last couple of years and some of the achievements I’ve had.

“I suppose it’s not really in my hands, but I’ve gone out on loan and shown what I can do and scored some goals.

“I hope I have impressed and we’ll just have to see what happens.”

Koumas helped Hull secure promotion to the Premier League last week after joining the Tigers in January.

Although he did not feature in the Championship play-off final victory over Middlesbrough at Wembley, he played an important role during the run-in, scoring three goals, including a debut winner against Blackburn and a crucial strike against promotion rivals Wrexham.

International duty has meant he has been unable to join Hull’s post-season celebrations in Las Vegas, but the Wales forward says the experience of playing regular first-team football has been invaluable.

Reflecting on his rapid rise through the ranks at Liverpool, Koumas said: “I sort of spent two years in and around the first team under Klopp, training mostly, but I made my debut which I scored in.

“I remember coming in pre-season after that, signing a new contract, and then getting told I was going to Stoke on loan.”

The move proved to be the start of a crucial stage in his development.

Koumas made 49 appearances during his time at Stoke before moving to Birmingham, where he played 25 games in the first half of this season.

A January switch to Hull followed after he decided he needed a fresh challenge.

‘Special’

He said: “To go to Hull and achieve something very special, the changing room is definitely one of a kind, and to do it with them was one of the best feelings ever.

“I’m just really happy with how it has developed over the last two years and I’m excited for the future now.

“Staying in and around first-team environments is definitely what’s been key for me the last year or so.

“It’s definitely going to help a lot. All the experiences I’ve been lucky enough to have are going to pay off in the end.”

Koumas, who has won 10 caps for Wales, is expected to feature in Craig Bellamy’s match-day squad for friendlies against Ghana in Cardiff and Romania in Bucharest over the coming week.