Former Birmingham City striker Kevin Phillips has urged his old club to sign Brighton & Hove Albion winger Amario Cozier-Duberry, who recently helped Bolton Wanderers win promotion to the Championship. The 21-year-old impressed on loan at Bolton last season, recording 10 goals and 13 assists in 41 appearances across all competitions as the Trotters secured a return to the second tier after seven years away.
Cozier-Duberry's Play-Off Heroics
Bolton finished fifth in League One before Cozier-Duberry played a key role in their play-off campaign. He contributed to a two-legged victory over Bradford City and a 4-1 thrashing of Stockport County in the final at Wembley. The winger now looks set for a second stint in the Championship, having previously spent the 2024/25 season on loan at Blackburn Rovers, where he scored once in 22 league games in a bit-part role.
Phillips Backs Move
Phillips, who was the top scorer when Blues last won promotion to the Premier League in 2009, believes Cozier-Duberry would be a strong addition. "I think he's a very, very good player, and I think he could slot into that Birmingham team quite well," Phillips told Best Betting Sites. "I think whatever team he goes to, he will improve them. It's as simple as that. The biggest thing for me is he's improved as he's getting older, and he's still a young player. I would say he certainly would improve that squad."
Existing Brighton Links
Birmingham City have built a strong relationship with Brighton in recent years, having taken three players on loan from the Seagulls last season. Goalkeeper James Beadle kept goal for the majority of the campaign, while defender Eiran Cashin and winger Ibrahim Osman also had stints at St Andrew's. Osman remains Blues manager Chris Davies' preferred target for the wide vacancy in his squad this summer, but the Ghanaian is expected to attract multiple suitors.
Versatile Winger
Cozier-Duberry is primarily a left-footed winger who operates on the right flank, but he has occasionally played centrally or on the left. His versatility could provide Davies with tactical flexibility as Blues look to bolster their attacking options ahead of the new season.
