Lewis Koumas: Liverpool teenager included in Wales Under-21 squad
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Lewis Koumas is in Matty Jones' Wales Under-21 squad for their 2025 European Championship qualifier against Lithuania and friendly with Morocco.
Koumas was an unused substitute in Liverpool's Carabao Cup final win over Chelsea and scored on his senior debut against Southampton in the FA Cup.
The 18-year old is the son of former Wales midfielder Jason Koumas.
Wales are second in Group I and host winless Lithuania at Newport's Rodney Parade on Friday, 22 March.
They then go to Antalya, Turkey to take on Morocco Under-23s on Tuesday, 26 March.
Wales Under-21 boss Jones says he is confident Koumas, who is also eligible to play for England, will choose to represent Wales at senior level, as his father did.
"Absolutely. I've always got confidence with our young Welsh lads because when they initially have those experiences they connect," Jones said.
"The relationships we build, the due diligence we've done over the last six to eight weeks. I've had four visits to Liverpool and monitored him in performance."
Jones is excited to work with another son of a former international team-mate of his, with Charlie Savage, son of ex-midfielder Robbie Savage, now in the Wales senior squad having progressed from under-21 level.
Jones says Kumas senior, a former Tranmere, West Bromwich Albion, Cardiff and Wigan, has played a role in his son's development.
"Jason Koumas has been excellent," said Jones.
"We haven't connected for a number of years, but since I've been going to Liverpool and monitoring Lewis, I've seen Jason.
"It was quite nice because you get that further insight of what Lewis is about - his temperament, character, personality, weaknesses. I've had that from the club, from Lewis as well with honesty and from his dad as well.
"He's a very ambitious young player and there's no surprise why he's excelling. I love the way Liverpool have managed him."
Luke Harris is included having previously been in Robert Page's senior squad, as has Owen Beck who was initially named by Jones but the Liverpool player, currently on loan with Dundee United, has withdrawn from the under-21s squad along with Leeds' Charlie Crew and Cardiff City's Cian Ashford
They are replaced by Arsenal defender James Lannin-Sweet and Swansea midfielder Cameron Congreve.
Fin Stevens, who is on loan at Oxford United from Brentford, is the most experienced player at under-21s level in the squad, and is in line for his 17th appearance.
Evan Watts, Terence Miles, Alex Williams, Ben Lloyd, Oliver Ewing and Koumas could all make their Wales Under-21 debuts.
Wales U21s squad: Ed Beach (Chelsea), Evan Watts (Swansea), Matt Baker (Newport, on loan from Stoke), Terence Miles (Liverpool), Luca Hoole (Bristol Rovers), Jay Williams (Fulham), Zac Ashworth (Bolton, on loan from West Brom), Tom Davies (Kilmarnock, on loan from Cardiff), Fin Stevens (Oxford, on loan from Brentford), Alex Williams (West Brom), Eli King (Ross County, on loan from Cardiff), Joel Cotterill (Swansea), Joel Colwill (Cardiff), Oli Hammond (Oldham), Ben Lloyd (Swansea), Oliver Ewing (Leicester), Luke Harris (Exeter, on loan from Fulham), Chris Popov (Leicester), Pat Jones (Huddersfield), Lewis Koumas (Liverpool), James Lannin-Sweet (Arsenal) and Cameron Congreve (Swansea)