Amario Cosier-Duberry took a gamble when he decided to end his five-year spell at his childhood team Arsenal in the summer of 2024. After much consideration and after rejecting a permanent contract offer from the Gunners, the talented teenager opted to sign for Brighton despite attracting attention from Premier League and European clubs alike.
Newcastle have made competing offers for Cosier Duberry, with Borussia Dortmund and Ajax also in talks over a potential move. Wolves were one of the other clubs competing for his signature. The dynamic winger, who spent his youth admiring the likes of Thierry Henry and regularly attended Arsenal’s home games with his brother to watch his idols, vowed he would not regret it after signing a four-year deal with Brighton.
He is aware that breaking into Arsenal’s first team will be difficult, especially as a left-handed right-winger, and has humbly accepted that it will be almost impossible to replace Bukayo Saka.
Cosier-Duberry, who has openly said that his playing style is modeled after Arjen Robben, often sought advice from Saka at London Colney in order to replicate his effects. Former Arsenal Under-18s head coach Jack Wilshere has previously noted the striking similarities between the two English players.
“Amario is very exciting and Mikel likes him,” Wilshere told The Athletic in 2023. “He reminds me of Bukayo Saka and he plays in the same position as him and needs to improve his decision-making like Bukayo, but he’s definitely exciting. At certain moments he won’t be able to play. You give him the ball and he can make things happen. You can set up a team and have a game plan, but when you have an individual like that, it’s a great opportunity.” ”
Cosier-Duberry enjoyed a bright start to his time at Brighton, scoring a double in the Seagulls’ 5-1 win over the Kashima Antlers in the opening game of last summer’s pre-season tour of Japan.
Nevertheless, after Brighton signed Yankuba Minte from Newcastle for £30 million, management decided a temporary move was advantageous, with the dynamic, untested winger moving to Championship outfit Blackburn Rovers for the 2024-25 season.
The talented youngster made 22 league appearances for Ewood Park, finding the back of the net just once, before signing a season-long provisional contract with League One promotion-chasing Bolton Wanderers.
Cosier-Duberry currently has 14 points (7 goals, 7 assists) this season and is arguably the EFL’s hottest talent after his stellar performance in October earned him EA Sports FC’s Young Player of the Month award.
As expected, his stellar performances have attracted interest from a number of teams in the Championship, who are hoping to secure the player on loan in January for the remainder of the season. Bolton are keen to keep him as he is seen as vital to winning promotion, but his contract includes a break clause.
But Brighton insiders insist they are excited about the forward’s progress and are thought to be reluctant to disrupt his progress.
Wanderers firmly believe that Cosier-Duberry’s exuberant performance was no mere fluke. 2023 Liverpool right-back Conor Bradley had an impressive loan spell in League One, winning Player of the Season, Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards before breaking onto the first-team scene at Anfield.
But it is also acknowledged that this particular loan was a match made in heaven. The 20-year-old, who has scored four goals and provided three assists in his last three league games, is a keen student of the game and has been praised for treating every training session in Greater Manchester as if it were his last.
He is often fouled by rivals, and in recent matches the opposing manager has adjusted his tactical approach to neutralize Cosier-Duberry, assigning two defenders to his team to mark him out of the match, but this has so far proven unsuccessful.
‘Super Amario’ continues to bounce back and with his sharp dribbling, crossing skills and knack for scoring from distance, he is already well on his way to securing a first-team opportunity at Brighton next season.
Jason Ayt, who took over as Albion’s sporting director in September, is no stranger to the deft dribbler from his time at Arsenal. Brighton already have a potential successor to Cosier-Duberry, with Minte reportedly attracting attention from the Premier League’s ‘big six’.
Don’t be shocked if this time next year we’re discussing another Brighton transfer win.
