View: Liverpool youth gem Lewis Koumas surely now set for more first-team chances
Liverpool forward Lewis Koumas showed once again he has the potential to be the next breakout star for the Reds with his display against Ipswich Town for the Under-21s side.
Barry Lewtas’ charges ran out 5-2 winners in the pre-season friendly on Wednesday (7 August), with Koumas capping off his incredible performance with a goal and an assist.
The 18-year-old set up Kieran Morrison for the third goal and then got himself on the scoresheet, running behind the Ipswich defence onto a James Balagizi pass to make it 4-1 to the Reds.
Lewis Koumas ready for Liverpool first team berth
There is little more to be achieved by Koumas’ participation in Lewtas’ side in the Liverpool academy.
In 24 appearances for the U18 side, he scored 18 goals and added six assists. For the U21 side, meanwhile, he has nine goals and five assists in 21 appearances.
It is clear that his level has surpassed the AXA Academy and unless a loan move away is arranged, Arne Slot should promote Koumas to the first team this season.
Liverpool are in a blessed position. For the first time in a long time, they have a number of promising academy prospects who are on the cusp of the senior side.
Bobby Clark, James McConnell and Jayden Danns introduced themselves to the world under Jurgen Klopp last term. All three are expected to fight again for minutes but the latter is currently facing two months on the sidelines [This is Anfield, 8 August].
The silver lining is Danns’ absence opens an opportunity for Koumas. He made his debut alongside Danns in the 3-0 win against Southampton in the FA Cup and opened the scoring with a low-driven strike from the edge of the box before Danns sealed the win with a brace.
He is now a fully-fledged Wales international, making his debut against Gibraltar in June and also featuring again against Slovakia three days later.
Koumas is another name in what is becoming a long list of academy talent for the Reds. The decision made on his future this season will be vital for his development.
Liverpool need a deputy to Mohammed Salah, and with Ben Doak potentially securing a Premier League loan move this summer [Football Scotland, 28 July], Slot should take a punt on Koumas in a decision that would save the club millions on transfer fees.
In other Liverpool news, Kostas Tsimikas looks ready to push on at Liverpool after a confidence-boosting moment.
For more Liverpool news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.