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Liverpool forward Lewis Koumas is set to join Birmingham City on a season-long loan deal with the Wales international having spent last season with Stoke City in the same division.
Koumas, who turns 20 next month, has played and scored for Liverpool at senior level but his chances of senior soccer under Arne Slot this season were always likely to be limited. It is understood that the deal for him to head to Birmingham will be a straight loan.
While a deal is unlikely to be completed before Birmingham plays Oxford United this weekend, Koumas is set to make the switch to the second tier once again. He began pre-season working with Arne Slot‘s first team at Liverpool and played at Preston, but then also worked with the U21s set-up during the summer.
In 2024/25, Koumas netted six goals and notched three assists while playing across the Stoke City forward line. In what was a tumultuous campaign for the Potters, the teenager worked under four different managers.
Sheffield United and Wrexham had also shown an interest in signing Koumas. The forward has already made one senior international appearance for his country.
Jurgen Klopp gave him his Liverpool debut and the German was a big fan. Both Koumas and Jayden Danns, who scored for Liverpool's U21s earlier this week, came through the academy at a similar time.
"I said before the game, Lewis is a fantastic finisher," Klopp told ITV after Koumas' goal in the FA Cup against Southampton in February 2024.
"He'll have to improve, and learn so much, but he's a fantastic finisher already and the goals are the same size in youth (football), there's no difference.
"And Dannsy, we knew as well that he's quite a good finisher but then the way he played. You saw this [first] goal is exceptional, but again that's no difference to youth level, because the ball is played, he's a striker, he knows what he has to do."
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Liverpool was in the middle of an injury crisis at the time, which is in part why the likes of Koumas and Danns were turned to. "The situation we are in, the situation is horribly difficult," Klopp added.
"We have too many games and not enough players, but... there's a really positive mood around the dressing room and in the training ground. We just accept the fact that we are a little bit in trouble and we have to find solutions, and we tried that, and now let's see who can play the next game."
Liverpool could still allow the likes of Kaide Gordon and James McConnell to move on this summer. None of them were involved last Monday as the Reds' U21s lost 4-2 against Leicester City in Premier League 2.
Liverpool.com says: Koumas has seemingly gotten a good move here. Birmingham should be fighting nearer the top of the table than the bottom, and that is exactly what he needs to thrive.
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