Brighton have reportedly rejected a £7million offer from Rangers for Amario Cozier-Duberry, underlining how highly they still rate the 21-year-old winger despite a season in which he has not yet become a regular starter.
The decision comes after a summer in which Cozier-Duberry has been on the periphery of Fabian Hurzeler's squad. At the weekend he was an unused substitute in Brighton's 1-0 win against Bologna, having previously come off the bench in the friendly against Roma.
Brighton holding firm on Cozier-Duberry
There is clearly a sense at Brighton that the player still has room to grow inside their system. That would fit with the wider picture around Cozier-Duberry, who spent last season on loan at Bolton and helped them gain promotion from League One.
He also produced a strong return there, scoring 10 goals in 41 appearances. That is the sort of output that helps explain why Brighton are not in a hurry to let him go, even if the immediate first-team pathway is not yet fully clear.
Last week, Steven Schumacher said he hoped Cozier-Duberry would secure a regular place in Hurzeler's first-team squad. He was speaking from the perspective of someone who saw the winger up close at Bolton, and he has previously suggested he would always be open to the idea of a return.
Rangers are looking for attacking reinforcements
Rangers, meanwhile, are understood to be looking to add attacking players to their squad, and their interest has now been met with a firm response. On Saturday they beat St Mirren 5-1 in the League Cup, but the rejected bid shows they are still active in the market as they try to strengthen further.
For Bolton fans, the development will also be of interest. Some had hoped Cozier-Duberry might be offered back on loan in the summer window, while the fact that Bolton's number 19 shirt from last season has remained unclaimed has only added to the speculation around his future.
Brighton's stance suggests they are prepared to wait and see whether the winger can push himself into the picture. If that does not happen quickly, rival clubs may yet return with interest. For now, though, Brighton have made the first big call of the window by turning down Rangers' £7million approach.
