English League One outfit Luton Town FC have secured the signature of English-born Ghanaian forward Gideon Kodua from West Ham United on permanent basis.
The Hatters exercised the buyout option to sign the 21-year-old permanently, after he joined on loan at the beginning of the 2025/26 season.
During his loan spell, Kodua has established himself in Jack Wilshere’s side as the team’s top goal scorer, reaching double figures in all competitions as they seek immediate promotion back to the EFL Championship.
At West Ham United, the Custom House-born forward was signed to the Academy of Football in 2017.
During his time in the youth ranks of the Hammers, Kodua captained the U18s to 27 wins in 32 matches in a highly successful 2022/23 campaign which saw the side claim top spot in the U18 Premier League South and lift the FA Youth Cup for the fourth time in the Club's history.
Manager Jack Wilshere said: “Gids is so important to how we want to play. He’s one that I knew plenty about before I came here, after scoring against my team in the FA Youth Cup final for west Ham, but since we’ve been in he has been outstanding for us.
“His contribution in terms of output is there for all to see with the number of goals he’s scored. But what you don’t see is his attitude to working and improving himself on a daily basis at the training ground.
“He’s emerged as a key character within the squad and someone we are so pleased to have on board now for the long-term, and not just the remainder of this season.”
After finalising the paperwork, Gideon told the club’s official website in an interview: “I’m so happy to have made the move permanent. It’s something I’ve wanted.
“You can see on the pitch how passionate I am playing for the club and contributing. It’s about continuing what I’ve been doing, scoring goals and playing well.
“It’s been like going back to my old ways. When I was 18, this was normal to me, being a goalscorer. It was just about transitioning into the men’s game and showing people that I can do it at senior level.
“I have my own goals and targets for the season, which I won’t say now but I’ll let you know by May!”
“I’m so grateful to Matt for bringing me here and Jack’s been amazing to me,” he said.
“He wants to improve me as a player, which is the main thing for me, and he wants to elevate my career.
“I feel like I am improving day by day with my knowledge of the game, tactically and technically, so he has been good to me in terms of my development. I can’t complain!
“I just want to excite the fans and give back to them, and as I’ve said before, I never take anything for granted. Every time I do put it in the net, it means more because we know what we want to go somewhere this season together. Hopefully they keep loving me!”
Kodua remains eligible to represent Ghana at the international stage despite representing England at the youth levels.
