Lewis Koumas will be back at Liverpool for pre-season training after spending two seasons out on loan
05:00, 02 Jun 2026
Lewis Koumas of Stoke City celebrates after he scores
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Lewis Koumas spent a season on loan at Stoke City from Liverpool.(Image: Nathan Stirk)
Lewis Koumas is heading into Wales duty this week hoping he has done enough to prove to the incoming Liverpool manager that he has an Anfield future.
The former Stoke City loanee, now aged 20, didn't get on the pitch for Liverpool under Arne Slot after making a sensational scoring debut for Jurgen Klopp’s Reds in an FA Cup tie against Southampton in February 2024.
At the time Koumas was only 18 years and 162 days old, and he became one of Liverpool’s youngest scorers just days after being an unused substitute in their League Cup final victory over Chelsea.
But Slot, who was sacked as Liverpool manager on Saturday, sent Koumas out to develop and a year in the Championship at Stoke was followed by half-a-season at Birmingham City then Hull. He made 17 league appearances, including four starts, to help Hull win promotion via the play-offs.
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“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,” said Koumas, who is expected to add to his 10 Wales caps alongside Sorba Thomas in the friendly double-header against Ghana and Romania.
“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 did not feature at Wembley as Hull beat Middlesbrough 1-0 in the Championship play-off final, but he counted a debut winner at Blackburn and a decisive effort against play-off rivals Wrexham among his three Tigers’ goals.
International duty, however, has deprived Koumas of joining Hull’s end-of-season party in Las Vegas.
Koumas said: “I sort of spent two years in and around the first team in Liverpool under Klopp, training mostly but I made my debut which I scored in. I remember coming in pre-season after that, signed a new contract, and got told I was going to Stoke on loan. It was a bit scary because I didn’t know what to expect but I ended up playing 49 games.
“I played 25 games at Birmingham, which was OK, but it wasn’t really what I was looking for and decided that change in January would be for the best. 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 is all going to pay off in the end.”
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