Sheffield United should be on red alert to seek Brighton transfer for Amario Cozier-Duberry alternative | OneFootball

Sheffield United should target Jeremy Sarmiento from Brighton and Hove Albion, rather than Amario Cozier-Duberry.

Sheffield United are anticipating a very busy January transfer window and Chris Wilder’s side will be actively pursuing a wide option or two, with a move for Jeremy Sarmiento one that should be towards the top of their wish-list.

The Blades have been heavily linked with a move for Amario Cozier-Duberry, who is thriving at Bolton Wanderers on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion, and they remain interested despite reports suggesting that Brighton have no intention of recalling the former Blackburn Rovers loan man from his stint at the Toughsheet Community Stadium.

As Football League World recently exclusively revealed, United are expected to make a few changes to their squad this winter with the termination of some loan deals, including that of Louie Barry from Aston Villa.

Even with the addition of free agent Patrick Bamford over the November international break, the South Yorkshire outfit will still be keen to strengthen their forward line and a need for added quality out-wide is pressing.

Jeremy Sarmiento is currently out on loan at Serie A side Cremonese, but he has struggled to make an impact for Davide Nicola’s side and he is the more realistic Brighton loanee that they should be plotting a move for in the January market.

Sheffield United should be plotting a move for Brighton's Jeremy Sarmiento

Following their promotion to Serie A last season, Cremonese embarked upon a typically extremely busy summer of incoming transfers, including the notable addition of Jamie Vardy on a free transfer, after the Leicester City legend departed the Foxes.

It has been a strong start to the season for Cremonese with just three defeats in their opening 11 matches as they sit firmly in the middle-of-the-table and, despite not being prolific with just 12 goals scored in those 11 games, Jeremy Sarmiento is one summer signing who has struggled for minutes at Stadio Giovanni Zini.

The 23-year-old Ecuador international, who will be keen on getting regular first-team minutes in order to strengthen his claim for a call-up to next summer’s FIFA World Cup, has made just seven appearances in Serie A this season, with all seven of those being substitute appearances.

Cumulatively, he has played just 137 minutes of football in Italy’s top-flight thus far since arriving in Lombardy on a supposedly season-long loan deal from Brighton.

Brighton will want to be maximising his value ahead of a future sale, Cremonese may want to free up space for someone who could contribute in a more meaningful and consistent way, whilst Sarmiento himself will be desperate for more regular game time.

As a result, a premature departure from that move should be anticipated this winter and Sheffield United should be keen to put themselves at the front of any potential queue.

It is clear that United want to add depth and quality out-wide, given their links to Cozier-Duberry, but it is another Brighton man that could be a more realistic signing – and also a bit more of a banker for the Championship.

Jeremy Sarmiento would provide quality and experience for Sheffield United

Chris Wilder is a pragmatist and has been able to mould successful sides from limited tools in the past but even he has struggled to get a tune out of the Blades this season, as they flounder towards the bottom end of the second-tier table.

Haphazard recruitment in the summer, to what was already a squad in flux, has left Wilder with a group of players at United that lack much cohesion with a squad that doesn’t really make sense on paper.

A lack of real wide-men has been a primary issue with a recent goalless draw against Queens Park Rangers perhaps best showcasing that as they played in a 4-2-2-2 shape with the widest attackers being utility man Andre Brooks and attacking midfielder Callum O’Hare.

Barry found himself out of the squad and Chiedozie Ogbene, who has struggled for form at Bramall Lane, has now picked up a hamstring injury whilst on international duty with the Republic of Ireland.

Cozier-Duberry has 12 direct goal involvements for Bolton in League One so far this season, with six goals and six assists; and the left footed right-winger has marked himself out as almost head and shoulders above the rest of the division.

When in the more competitive environment of a Championship squad, though, with a functional pragmatist such as John Eustace at the helm, Cozier-Duberry struggled to stamp his authority at Blackburn Rovers last season.

Even with his form and high ceiling, given United’s predicament, it would be a risky signing for the Blades to make and moving for someone with a bit more proven pedigree, such as Sarmiento, may in fact instead make more sense.

Sarmiento, who has played 15 times in the Premier League for Brighton, has already enjoyed a couple of productive loan spells in the second-tier, having helped Ipswich Town gain an unlikely promotion to the top-flight in the second-half of the 2023/24 season before being a part of the Burnley side that finished second in the Championship last season.

The fact that Sarmiento’s loan stint at Cremonese has been an underwhelming one may actually end up being a blessing in disguise for the Ecuadorian and his parent club Brighton, as well as Sheffield United.