Gideon Kodua has no doubts about his ability to make friends and influence people in his new Luton Town home, the winger leaving West Ham United on a loan deal with a difference.
Having captained his parent club at Under-18 level, the Newham-born midfielder is a big character as well as a big talent.
While insisting that the Luton Town fans ‘will love’ Gideon Kodua once he settles into life at Kenilworth Road, Hatters boss Matt Bloomfield was also keen to describe the 20-year-old as ‘a great lad’ he simply ‘cannot speak highly enough of’.
And he should know.
Bloomfield worked with Kodua during a previous temporary stint with Wycombe Wanderers, in the same division Luton now find themselves following successive relegations. The West Ham United prospect returns to League One hoping to go one step further than he did at Adams Park.
West Ham United loanee Gideon Kodua plans to make a name for himself at Luton Town
Gideon Kodua and Wycombe suffered play-off heartbreak at Charlton Athletic’s hands in May.
Speaking to Luton Today meanwhile, his first interview with the local Bedfordshire press since joining in July, Kodua is hopeful that both he and the Hatters will reach ‘the next level’ over the next nine months or so.
“I feel like with my personality, people just naturally gravitate towards me,” Kodua begins. “So hopefully I can add something to the group – which I know I will – and just gel really.
“It’s massive. I feel like, when the group is really close, you can see it on the pitch in terms of everyone backing each other with tackles and how they speak to each other. I think togetherness is a really big thing in a club, wanting to win together, there’s nothing better than that.”
As West Ham dismantled Arsenal in the 2023 FA Youth Cup final, Kodua scored the goal of the game with a glorious lob from long-range.
At senior level, though, he has three goals and zero assists to show for 35 competitive appearances.
“I want to bring goals. That is something I’m definitely going to work on this season,” Kodua admits. “Getting more goals, assists and just contributing to the team really, being exciting off either flank.
“I’m nowhere near my ceiling, that’s why I’ve come here. To improve, just better myself and showcase myself to the Luton fans and to the world really.
“My family are happy. They’ve steered me in the right direction also, always helping me along my journey, keeping me calm when I’m not, and just doing literally everything they can to help me. I just want to prove myself, or prove to myself that I can really do this and get to the next level and where I want to be.
“Basically, just showcase myself really.”
Kodua could follow Patrick Kelly and Divin Mubama out of West Ham
Interestingly, West Ham allowed Luton to insert an option-to-buy clause into Kodua’s contract when negotiating terms earlier in the window.
Should he live up to Bloomfield’s lofty expectations, then, Kodua could become the third member of that Youth Cup-winning squad to bring an end to their time at the London Stadium.
Northern Ireland Under-21 international Patrick Kelly joined Barnsley on a three-year deal last week.
Divin Mubama will be playing regular senior football for the first time this season, meanwhile, joining Stoke City on loan after a typically prolific season with Manchester City’s reserves.
Kodua remained on the bench as Luton kicked off the League One campaign with a late win over newly-promoted AFC Wimbledon last Friday night.
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