Keane Lewis-Potter: The Young Hull City Attacker Tipped For Premier League Greatness
After bursting onto the scene with Hull City as a young and exciting attacker, natural comparisons were bound to happen.
Keane Lewis-Potter might well be the new Jarrod Bowen for Hull, a tricky player for opponents to handle with pace, an unpredictability to his game and an eye for goal.
Scoring for fun whilst featuring for local side Hessle Rangers – managing a jaw-dropping 128 goals in one full season with the East Yorkshire amateur outfit – his slow and steady rise to stardom with the Tigers mirrors the same career trajectory as Bowen.
Lewis-Potter is some way off reaching the same goal-scoring figures as Bowen though, the youngster a far more skillful proposition than the now West Ham man.
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He isn’t in the shadow of what’s come before him however, his dazzling skill and ability to curl in a goal from the edge of the area makes him stand out as a shining star on his own merit.
Linked with a move to the Premier League recently – an impressive return of eight goals and four assists for a lower table outfit – he could well follow in the footsteps of past superstars for Hull and only improve when the top flight comes calling.
If not, he’ll continue to shine under Shota Arveladze who has compared Lewis-Potter to past players of his heyday – the skill and talent of the Laudrup brothers reminiscent in Hull’s dynamic forward according to the ex-Rangers player turned Hull manager.
His jaw-dropping goal return for Hessle Rangers, a non-league club established in Hull, saw The Tigers come calling – Hull would have been foolish to let such a talent fall to the wayside, signing for The Tigers’ academy as a fresh-faced 14-year-old.
Born in Hull, it would have been a dream come true for the now 21-year-old to have put pen to paper on an Academy deal for his boyhood club. He would go on to impress for the U18’s and U23’s before his big break into the first-team set-up, even receiving the accolade of Academy Player of the Year for the 2018-19 season.
This award was well deserved, scoring 24 goals in 30 or so appearances for the youth sides which caught the eye of those associated with the senior squad.
He would make over 20 appearances for the struggling Tigers during the 2019-20 season, a glimmer of hope amidst the doom and gloom that engulfed Hull.
Grant McCann’s men would finish rock bottom of the pile, conceding 87 goals in just 46 games. Lewis-Potter would impress when called upon, fans eager to get behind a local lad with other players falling way below the standards expected at the MKM Stadium.
His true importance wouldn’t be felt properly until the season after – a pivotal component to Hull lifting the League One title after the likes of Bowen and Grosicki departed – but his fleeting minutes in the second tier saw real potential shine through.
Known for his skilful runs now, his first senior goal for Hull showed a different side to the youngster. A looped header fell to Lewis-Potter, the Hull-born forward directing it into the goal with a headed effort of his own.
Another dismal night away from Lewis-Potter’s goal, Barnsley winning 3-1 despite being 24th at the time, the youngster’s header was a rare silver lining to take away from the poor defeat.
He would get a few more goals before Hull’s relegation was finally confirmed, including a last gasp header away at Charlton to secure a dramatic draw.
Joined by his fellow Hull teammates to celebrate, Lewis-Potter beaming with pride, the Hull attacker certainly had a bright future.
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He would become a first-team regular the season after, the focal point in attack for a Hull team desperate to make their League One stay as short as possible.
Another strength to Lewis-Potter’s overall game is his adaptability, playing in a whole host of attacking positions which even saw the Hull-born footballer adjust to a wing-back role.
However, the winger role suited Lewis-Potter in League One perfectly – able to show off his skills up against the nervous full-back trying to keep tabs on the dynamic attacker.
Watching clips from his breakthrough season in League One, a trademark skill up the youngster’s sleeve is the body feint – an unpredictability to his game, tricking defenders with an unexpected skill to give him an edge.
At times in the lower division, Lewis-Potter was almost toying with defenders trying to stay with their marker. The individual moments of showboating are met with pinpoint crosses into the box, a joy for the strikers up top for The Tigers.
If he isn’t providing opportunities for his teammates, Lewis-Potter’s confidence in front of goal is also there – bursting through with pace, eager to get on the scoresheet.
With 13 goals and 6 assists over 43 appearances for Grant McCann’s men in League One, he had suddenly become an established first-teamer who demanded a spot in the eleven.
Boasting an unpredictability and verve to his game way above his youthfulness, he was crucial in giving Hull something different in the promotion race which saw the League One title enter the Hull trophy cabinet.
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Goals in certain clashes stick out, a solo effort against Swindon showcasing an unerring fearlessness at the heart of the dynamic forward’s game – driving forward before rifling an effort past Matej Kovar in the Swindon net.
A strike away at Gillingham also showed the calm nature of the youngster, not at all phased by the bright lights of the men’s game. Taking down a ball into the box with ease, a toe-poke over the Gills keeper setting up a dominant 2-0 victory on the day.
One bit of skill in a match at Crewe epitomised the youngster’s unpredictable nature, swerving one way and the other before the opposition player fell to the floor. Unable to stop the Hull forward, a slip saw the Crewe man wave the white flag.
Yet, could Keane Lewis-Potter dazzle defenders in the division above? A few fleeting performances in his first taste of Championship football saw promise, Lewis-Potter now ready to make the step-up after becoming a first-team regular in League One and impressing in Hull’s promotion story.
He would instantly make an impact at the higher level, scoring and assisting in The Tigers’ shock 4-1 opening day victory at Preston North End.
His numbers at Championship level haven’t set the world alight – managing eight goals so far this campaign with four assists as well – but he has been consistently in the first eleven yet again after being used mainly as a substitute in the 19-20 relegation season.
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Calm finishes away at Barnsley and in the opening fixture at Preston show a more assured head this time round, not just a hungry youngster happy for a few appearances here and there.
The confidence is also apparent still, hammering home a strike away at promotion hopefuls Nottingham Forest with Hull looking as slick as their all-black away kit.
Two strikes away at Peterborough United saw the flair return too, a brilliant edge of the area strike followed by a tap-in to give new Hull manager Shota Arveladze bragging rights over former Hull manager Grant McCann who now manages Peterborough.
This win eliminated any real possibility of Hull being dragged into the relegation equation, Lewis-Potter the hero on the day.
With Jarrod Bowen excelling in the Premier League at high-flying West Ham, it wouldn’t be a surprise if a number of Premier League clubs attempt to seal a deal for Keane Lewis-Potter to try and replicate that success.
After an excellent season in Hull’s title-winning campaign, The Tigers’ tricky attacker has shown similar moments of brilliance this season to help his side steer away from any relegation trouble.
If the likes of Brentford or even West Ham come calling, expect the 21-year-old to excite in the top tier to similar effect.
By: Kelan Sarson / @SarsonKelan
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Richard Sellers – PA Images