Hull City manager Sergej Jakirovic has revealed his delight at finally securing the signing of Liverpool winger Lewis Koumas, after the player's loan spell at Birmingham City was terminated in January. The Tigers, currently sitting third in the Championship table, moved quickly to bring Koumas to the MKM Stadium on a loan deal until the end of the season, just days after his agreement with Blues came to an early conclusion.
Jakirovic's Long-Standing Admiration
Jakirovic had originally targeted Koumas during the summer transfer window, but the young Welsh international opted for a move to Birmingham City instead. The Hull boss believes this decision may have been influenced by the transfer restrictions his club was operating under at the time, which potentially made the Blues a more attractive proposition for the developing talent.
No Ego, Just Opportunity
Speaking candidly to Hull Live about the situation, Jakirovic demonstrated a pragmatic approach to the transfer saga. "He's Liverpool school, he's a Liverpool winger, when I saw him in the summer, he was my wish, but he chose Birmingham," the manager explained. "This is normal, in that situation, you can choose a club in a better situation. But there is no ego from my side, I respect every player's decision but now when we had the opportunity to take him I said immediately we must take him."
The Croatian manager emphasised Koumas's immediate value to his promotion-chasing squad, highlighting the player's existing experience in the Championship as a significant advantage. "He's so young, such big potential with a lot of experience in this league and especially in the January transfer period, there is no adaptation and I think he helps us," Jakirovic continued. "I think he can help us a lot. He's a young player but he played in Stoke, now in Birmingham and this is the reason we took him immediately. I think he can improve this group a lot."
Immediate Impact at Hull
The 20-year-old Wales international enjoyed a dream start to his Hull City career, scoring the winning goal on his debut against Blackburn Rovers. This immediate contribution demonstrated exactly why Jakirovic was so keen to bring him to the club. However, Koumas was unable to inspire his new team to victory in their following match against Watford on Tuesday evening.
Hull City currently find themselves in strong contention for automatic promotion, trailing only Coventry City and Middlesbrough in the Championship standings. The addition of Koumas is viewed as a strategic move to bolster their attacking options during the crucial final months of the season.
The early termination of Koumas's Birmingham City loan has raised questions about whether Blues might come to regret not providing the talented winger with more opportunities at St Andrew's. With Hull now benefiting from his services, only time will tell if Birmingham's decision proves costly in their own campaign.
