Arsenal are planning on opening talks with Amario Cozier-Duberry to hand him a new deal, with the current one set to expire in the summer.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal are planning on opening contract renewal talks with 18-year-old attacking prodigy Amario Cozier-Duberry. The young star of the Gunners U-21 side may feel the time is right to make the grade up to senior football but is nowhere close to committing his future with the club.
Arsenal have taken on a slow but steady process under Mikel Arteta, which has nurtured many aspects of the club. From committing to a style of play to reuniting the fans with the team, the Spanish manager has done a lot since taking over the club from Unai Emery.
While the senior team continues to shine under Arteta, there are a lot of players waiting in the wings from the U-21 side. Edu Gaspar and the Gunners boss have plenty of work to do with their academy stars coming to the first team scene.
While Arteta continues to receive praise for integrating young players into his setup, he has not been particularly keen on bringing in fresh talent from the Hale End academy. During his tenure since 2019, the Spanish coach has handed first-team debuts to only three players, with none of them anywhere close to making another bow.
🔴⚪️ Understand Arsenal are planning talks with Amario Cozier-Duberry over a new deal in the next weeks/months as his contract will expire on 30th June 2024.
Discussions are currently ongoing.
Several Premier League & European clubs are interested, monitoring the situation. pic.twitter.com/adm2JWrplG
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 26, 2023
This issue brings us closer to another massive talent from their academy, Amario Cozier-Duberry. The 18-year-old attacking prodigy has been a solid performer in the U-21 side and widely regarded as the next Bukayo Saka by those following the club closely.
He plays in a similar position to Saka and has been in a good vein of form in the U-21 side for a long time now. Many believe he’s ready to upgrade to the first team, but Arteta has not indicated promoting the 18-year-old attacking prodigy into his setup.
Now, as per Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal are planning to open talks with Cozier-Duberry about a new contract, with his current deal expiring next summer. It’s a good sign from the club to recognise one of their brightest talents, but the road towards a renewal may come with hurdles.
For instance, Arsenal fought hard to keep Ethan Nwaneri during the summer, with a host of clubs like Chelsea and Manchester City pushing to sign him. While he eventually agreed to a new long-term deal, they must repeat the sequence with Cozier-Duberry.
In Cozier-Duberry’s case, the challenges are different as this is a player ready to enter the first team scene as soon as possible. With Arsenal already chasing Pedro Neto, the 18-year-old attacking prodigy might see it differently. With Arteta’s side stacked with wide attacking options, signing another player would certainly block the teenager’s path.
Hence, Arsenal must treat this issue carefully and convince the player he has a long future at the club. Romano also states there are many Premier League and European teams interested in Cozier-Duberry if he decides to leave the Gunners.
So, while bringing in new talents improves the first team, Arsenal must also keep a close watch on their academy talents. There is a real danger of watching some of their best junior players move on and shine somewhere else, with Cozier-Duberry at the forefront of this problem.
