Lewis Koumas eager to establish himself at Liverpool under Andoni Iraola

Lewis Koumas says he is determined to make the most of his chance at Liverpool after breaking into the first team under new head coach Andoni Iraola.

The 21-year-old forward returned to Anfield in the summer following loan spells at Stoke City, Birmingham City and Hull City, convinced the time had come to establish himself at the club he has supported since childhood.

Koumas joined Liverpool with confidence after helping Hull City win promotion to the Premier League via the Championship play-offs. He also made an impact at international level, scoring his first senior goal for Wales with a stoppage-time equaliser against Ghana.

Iraola’s appointment soon afterwards provided further encouragement. After studying the Spaniard’s methods, Koumas felt his energetic style and willingness to work suited the qualities the new manager expected from his players.

“I felt like it could be a massive opportunity for me,” Koumas told Liverpool’s official website. “The type of player he looks for to help his team is sort of my identity as a player, so I saw it as a real opportunity to come in and try to grab it.”

Koumas made a point of joining Liverpool’s Under-21s for pre-season, aware that Iraola would be assessing the squad. His efforts earned him a place in the first-team travelling party for the club’s tour of the United States.

“We knew that the gaffer was going to be there having a watch so I just made sure that there was no-one else out there working harder than me,” he said. “There was going to be no-one else showing that they want to play for him more than I was.”

He has made 14 appearances this season and says working under Iraola has been a particularly valuable experience. The forward has been impressed by the manager’s intensity and the commitment he shows to his players.

“Playing for him is really special – really, really special. You want to be out there on the pitch fighting for him because he fights for you,” Koumas said. “It’s an unbelievable privilege to be playing for him.”

Koumas has also benefited from training with Liverpool’s senior players, including captain Virgil van Dijk. The Wales forward recalled Van Dijk encouraging him before the meeting with Manchester City at Anfield.

“This is where you want to be so let’s go and see how you can do in this sort of situation,” Van Dijk told him.

Another significant moment arrived when Koumas scored on his first Champions League start in Liverpool’s away win against LASK. It followed his goal on his senior debut against Southampton in the FA Cup in February 2024.

“It was just unbelievable, Champions League night away and I put the ball in the back of the net,” he said.

Born on the Wirral, Koumas wants to repay Liverpool’s faith and contribute to the club’s future. His ambitions go beyond securing a regular place, with success in major competitions now his target.

“I always want to be in the Liverpool shirt,” he said. “But it’s time for us now to start winning titles again – league titles, European titles.”