Arsenal hold talks with 'next Bukayo Saka' in desperate attempt to agree terms

Arsenal remain hopeful of pinning Amario Cozier-Duberry down to a new contract as a number of big teams show their interest in the young winger.

The 18-year-old, who has already been compared to Bukayo Saka by former Gunners midfielder turned academy coach Jack Wilshere, will see his current deal expire at the end of June. Newcastle and Wolves are among the Premier League clubs monitoring the situation and a move abroad has also not been ruled out.

But Arsenal are eager to retain his services, believing that he is not too far off making an impact for the first team, and talks have been held. Yet no decision has been made by the player or his representatives.

Cozier-Duberry was nominated for the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award for April and has nine goals and five assists in the competition. The teenager also scored twice in four appearances in the UEFA Youth League.

Hailed as the “jewel of the club’s academy”, he has trained regularly with Mikel Arteta ’s first team squad this season and has previously been an unused substitute.

Arsenal finished fifth in the Premier League 2 table but Cozier-Duberry netted twice in a comprehensive 6-2 win over Manchester United in the first round of the play-offs last Friday. The young Gunners will take on Chelsea at Meadow Park on lunchtime Saturday.

And while the Saka comparison may be viewed as a lot of pressure to place on young shoulders, the 5ft 7 and 9.5 stone wide man can appear “unplayable” according to Under-18 head coach Wilshere.

“Amario is very exciting and Mikel [Arteta] likes him,” Wilshere told The Athletic last year. “He reminds me of Bukayo Saka, plays in the same position as him, needs to get better with his decision-making like Bukayo did, but he’s definitely