West Ham will love what Steven Schumacher had to say about Amario Cozier-Duberry
West Ham United are interested in Brighton winger Amario Cozier-Duberry as they prepare for the Championship.
The Athletic report that the Hammers have held interest in the 21-year-old for some time, with two years now remaining on his Brighton deal.
Cozier-Duberry shone out on loan at Bolton last term, helping fire the Wanderers back to the Championship.
With nine goals and 13 assists, the youngster proved talismanic under Steven Schumacher.
West Ham themselves are looking to bounce back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
With this in mind, they may feel a lot more confident based on what Bolton boss Schumacher has had to say about the transfer target.
How does Steven Schumacher feel about Amario Cozier-Duberry?
Arriving on loan from Brighton last summer, the 21-year-old continued to shift through the gears
After missing just over two months of action at the start of the year, he would return for the final stretch of the term, proving vital as Bolton were promoted through the playoffs.
"It was a brilliant finish. All season, Mario has produced moments of magic like that," he said.
"We said at half-time, we felt he was coming inside a lot and the space wasn't there."
"So, we asked him to be patient and hopefully we could get the ball to him in dangerous areas. The ball fell to him a little fortuitously, but it was a brilliant finish," added the Bolton boss.
At 21, he has bags of potential, standing out massively in League One.
Based on Schumacher's comments, he is more than ready for the Championship step up.
"He's got that quality and we're just glad to have him back fit and available."
Is Cozier-Duberry a player West Ham should be targeting?
As the Hammers aim to bounce back immediately, it can be said that players of Cozier-Duberry's ilk are the exact type that the Hammers should be targeting.
In recent years, the East Londoners have let themselves down with their recruitment, with no discernible plan visible at times.
As they prepare for the second tier, there must be a focus on youth - particularly with the potential to grow with the side, as they hopefully climb back to the Premier League, and restart the project.
At 21, Cozier-Duberry fits this mould perfectly, while his non-stop energy and willingness to take players on could provide the excitement that the London Stadium so craves after a dismal campaign.