09 February 2024 , 22:24
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Mikel Arteta could hand Amario Cozier-Duberry his Arsenal debut against West Ham on Sunday after being impressed by the youngster in training.
Cozier-Duberry has long been considered one of the biggest talents coming through the club’s famed academy and has been training with Arteta’s first team recently. The 18-year-old winger has benefited from the coaching of Jack Wilshere in the under-18s side and is pushing hard for some game time at senior level.
His fast-tracking has also come at a crucial time in his Arsenal career, with his contract set to expire in the summer. Transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has reported that Borussia Dortmund, Ajax, Anderlecht, Wolves and Newcastle are all showing interest in snapping up Cozier-Duberry on a free transfer if Arsenal don’t tie him down to a new deal.
Cozier-Duberry has 10 goals and eight assists in 31 games for the under-18s and 12 goals and seven assists in 37 appearances for the under-21s. He has outgrown those sides and has therefore become a regular fixture in first-team training of late.
He was included in the squad who travelled to Dubai in January for warm weather training and has been tipped to make the squad for the Premier League match against the Hammers this weekend. If he does make the bench, it wouldn’t be the first time, with Cozier-Duberry watching from the sidelines when Arteta’s side beat West Ham 3-1 in December 2022.
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Former Arsenal midfielder Wilshere is a big fan and gave an insight into his ability in April 2023. He said: “Amario is very exciting and Mikel likes him. He reminds me of Bukayo Saka, he plays in the same position as him but he needs to get better with his decision-making.
“He’s definitely exciting, in some moments he’s unplayable. 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’ve got individuals like that you’ve got a chance.”
Amario Cozier-Duberry has been training with the first team (Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)Arteta has stayed consistent in his team selection this season, rarely varying much from the tried-and-tested formula. But he did drop a hint about his desire to integrate youngsters when speaking to reporters before the 3-1 win over Liverpool last weekend.
“We certainly want to do that,” he said when asked if he wanted to see more of Arsenal’s youngsters thrive in the Premier League. “First of all we need to produce those talents and they have to earn it and secondly they have to be in the positions that we need fulfilling.
“Everything has to come together and we are working on that. We have a few prospects which are not far away, but the reality is we want more. Today, to give the opportunities to play in the first team at the level required, we are a bit short.”
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