Lewis Koumas has taken a candid look back at his two-year journey on loan in the English Championship, a period that ended triumphantly with his promotion to the Premier League alongside Hull City.
During this time, Koumas, 20, had stints at Stoke City, Birmingham City, and Hull City, experiencing varying degrees of success. His six-month tenure at Birmingham City, in particular, didn’t meet his personal expectations. After making 25 appearances and scoring just one goal, Koumas’s loan was cut short mid-season in January following the arrival of Ibrahim Osman from Brighton.
Although he started the final four games for Birmingham, Koumas acknowledged that the spell “wasn’t really what I was looking for.” Seeking a fresh start, he moved to Hull City where the atmosphere and camaraderie made a significant impression. While not always a starter—he didn’t feature in Hull’s play-off final victory over Middlesbrough—Koumas contributed three goals and proudly earned promotion.
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Reflecting on his development, Koumas said, “I spent two years around Liverpool’s first team under Klopp, mostly training but I did make my debut and scored. After signing a new contract, I went on loan to Stoke, which was nerve-wracking but I ended up playing 49 games. Birmingham was okay, but not ideal, so the switch to Hull was the right move for me.”
He continued, “Being in first-team environments has been key. The experiences I’ve gained are invaluable and will definitely pay off.” Koumas is upbeat about his future, embracing the growth he’s achieved during these formative loan spells.