Amario Cozier-Duberry is set to leave Arsenal at the expiration of his contract this month.
Cozier-Duberry, 19, has turned down the offer of a new deal with the club with the lack of a clear pathway to the first team considered a key reason.
Arsenal recognise the increased standard of the first team has made it harder for academy players to bridge the gap, but believed Cozier-Duberry could do so in time.
Their contract offer was made last summer with the intention of a loan in January, but that potential loan could not take place with Cozier-Duberry in the final year of his existing deal.
The winger, who joined Arsenal as a 14-year-old from grassroots and helped the under-18s to the FA Youth Cup final in 2022-23, has been around the first team for two seasons but not been given an official debut.
He appeared for Mikel Arteta’s side in mid-season friendlies against Lyon, AC Milan and Juventus during the 2022 World Cup.
Cozier-Duberry, an England under-19 international, has been named on the first team bench eight times by Arteta but not been called upon. Two of these occasions were in 2023-24, a 1-0 League Cup win over Brentford and a 2-0 Champions League over Sevilla.
He scored 13 goals and made five assists for the under-21s side last season. Overall, he has played 48 games at that level (18 goals and 10 assists) which is believed to have served its purpose.
The 19-year-old is understood to have interest in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Denmark as well as being monitored by Premier League and Championship clubs.
He is understood to have not made a decision on his next club yet.
(Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Read the full article here