Bolton Wanderers 'concern' issued over Amario Cozier-Duberry - it may end Sheffield United interest | OneFootball

FLW's Bolton fan pundit believes that the Brighton loanee is being targeted more, and that's a problem he needs to overcome

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

There arguably weren't many better standout players in the entire EFL in the opening four months of the campaign than Bolton Wanderers loanee Amario Cozier-Duberry.

After 15 games of the League One season, the Brighton and Hove Albion loanee had picked up six goals and six assists, including two of each in their 4-0 drubbing of Port Vale.

But since that win to open November, the goal contributions have dried up a little for the 20-year-old. He went five without one at all before picking up a couple of assists in the three games between Boxing Day and New Year's Day, but he hasn't scored in nearly two months now, which is a bit of a worry.

It seemed a sure-fire decision that Brighton would recall the exciting winger and re-loan him out to the Championship, with the likes of Sheffield United linked, but now, as we enter the January transfer window, that interest has seemingly cooled.

Bolton Wanderers fan pundit discusses Amario Cozier-Duberry's recent drop in form

Liam O'Meara, FLW's Bolton fan pundit, believes that Cozier-Duberry's dry spell in terms of both goals and assists is due to teams planning more for his threat.

"I think it is a concern, because there has been a drop off. He didn't actually start the last game, and he's been used as a sub in recent games, too," Liam told FLW.

"I think that's natural, though. Teams are starting to target him a lot more, and I think it'll be good for his personal growth, because if he is to have a career in the Premier League, there's no better league in terms of match plans and setting teams up to defend against certain attackers.

"Therefore, he's going to have to get used to teams planning for him, anyway."

Some Trotters fans may argue that this drop in form is a good thing, as it allows rumours to quieten and increases the likelihood of the 20-year-old remaining at the Toughsheet Community Stadium post-January.

O'Meara didn't think a recall would take place regardless, though, and challenged his side's star winger to come out on the other side of this extensive planning to nullify his threat.

"In terms of him being recalled, I wasn't too concerned about it, and I assumed that Bolton would have had a Plan B, anyway," Liam added.

"My biggest hope is that he can turn it around and cope with teams having plans to stop him. It's an interesting problem for him to have."

Amario Cozier-Duberry can really prove himself as a top winger in 2026 at Bolton Wanderers

There's no doubt that Cozier-Duberry has the skillset to be an elite winger, as seen in the opening months of the campaign.

But now not everything is as easy as it was in the first half of the season, and the 20-year-old is having to deal with less time on the ball and fewer opportunities to work his magic.

If anything, that shows how much of a threat the opposition view the on-loan winger as. Now, it's up to the exciting 20-year-old to show that he can still be a danger despite how much focus defences give him.

If he can get some of his other frontmen on the ball more, force them to focus on them and then take advantage of that, there's no doubting that he'll be able to get back to the numbers he was showing in the opening stages of the loan spell.

Since the Port Vale win, it's been three wins in eight league games for Bolton, so it's clear that, when Cozier-Duberry isn't working his magic, the team are slightly worse.

Getting back to his level will not only help prove he can cope with pressure and show he is a Championship-level winger currently, but it'll also benefit Bolton come the end of the season, too, and increase their chances of promotion out of League One.