Sammy Henia-Kamau is shown the door by Hull City just weeks after the club’s promotion to the Premier League, in a devastating blow to the 20-year-old’s top-flight dreams
Kenya international Sammy Henia-Kamau has been released by Hull City as the club begins preparations for the 2026/27 English Premier League (EPL) season following their successful promotion from the championship
This decision blows the youngstars’s dream of breaking into the senior team and playing in the premier league, becoming the second Kenyan player to feature in the premier league after Victor Wanyama.
Hull confirmed Henia-Kamau’s departure from the club’s retained list that was released after the conclusion of the 2025/26 season. The forward is among seven Under-21 players who will leave the Tigers upon the expiry of their contracts at the end of June.
“The following players will be released following the expiration of their contracts Pharrell Brown, Rocco Coyle, Sammy Henia-Kamau, Joao Mendes, Harry Revill, Noah wadsworth and Callum Yam,” The club said in a statement.
The release means Henia-Kamau will once again be searching for new club after joining Hull City’s development side last year following his departure from Swansea City.
At just 20 years old, the forward remains one of Kenya’s promising overseas-based talents and will be hoping a new opportunity emerges to hep him continue his development at a high level.
Sammy Henia-Kamau was born on February 17, 2006, and grew up in Jersey, where he began his football journey in the local development system. His multicultural background — with a Kenyan father and an English mother — shaped both his identity and his international career path.
The 20-year-old, born to a Kenyan father from Makadara, Nairobi, had described his Harambee Stars call-up as a “life-changing milestone” after a steady rise through England’s football development pathway. “It honestly still feels unreal. This is something I’ve carried in my heart for years, growing up and dreaming about representing Kenya one day,” he said.
His international career began in 2026 when he made his debut for Harambee Stars, coming on as a substitute in a 4-0 win over Lesotho. That debut felt like the start of a long and exciting chapter. His Hull City release has cast a shadow over what had been a remarkable rise.
For Henia-Kamau, the talent is not in question. His pace, his nose for goal and his international pedigree make him an attractive proposition for clubs in the Championship and beyond. At 20, he has time firmly on his side. Victor Wanyama — Kenya’s most celebrated Premier League alumnus was also released and rebuilt before eventually conquering English football’s biggest stage.
