Some Bolton Wanderers fans may have had reservations when it was announced that Dutch winger Ibrahim Cissoko was signing for their club.
The 22-year-old was a rare bright spot in Plymouth Argyle’s otherwise disappointing first half of the season under Wayne Rooney, scoring three goals in 13 games.
However, his achievements prompted his parent club Toulouse to transfer him from Home Park to Sheffield Wednesday, a fellow Championship club competing in midtable rather than avoiding relegation.
Cissoko’s experience at Hillsborough could not have been worse. He failed to impress Danny Rohl during his brief time at the club, making only five substitute appearances and missing the final four matchday squads of the league season.
That will be what Bolton fans remember most about his loan tenure, which began as a substitute in their 1-1 draw with Barnsley.
However, leaping to conclusions may not be the greatest move right now. After all, Amario Cozier-Duberry has made an impressive start at the Toughsheet Community Stadium, following a difficult loan spell in the Championship in 2024/25.
Amario Cozier-Duberry came to Bolton Wanderers with a lot to prove
Brighton and Hove Albion signed Cozier-Duberry, 20, last summer after he spent time at Arsenal’s youth. Those behind the scenes at the Amex Stadium believed he was already ready for senior football, therefore he was quickly farmed out to Blackburn Rovers.
Despite scoring in his maiden Championship appearance against Luton Town, the lively winger struggled to establish himself as a regular first-team member. That start came in December and was one of only six during the 2024/25 league season.
Under new manager Valerien Ismael, Cozier-Duberry appeared in only two of the 12 games he oversaw, missing the final eight games of the season.
As a result, a loan transfer to a League One club seemed the logical choice for Cozier-Duberry this summer, and Bolton secured his services for the year. Following a stagnant campaign last season, the 20-year-old needed to show himself in the third division, and while it’s still early days, he’s doing well for his new club.
The highlight of his brief time at Bolton so far came in the first round of the EFL Cup, when he scored late to send the game to penalties against Sheffield Wednesday. Unfortunately, Steven Schumacher’s side lost the shootout, but the Brighton loanee did score his penalty kick.
That came after Cozier-Duberry put in a standout performance on his competitive debut at the Toughsheet Stadium in a 2-0 win against Plymouth Argyle last weekend, setting up Mason Burstow for the Trotters’ second goal of the afternoon. He also made an early impression in pre-season.
Ibrahim Cissoko could follow in Amario Cozier-Duberry’s early-season promise at Bolton Wanderers
Cissoko, like Cozier-Duberry, comes to the Toughsheet Community Stadium looking for a boost after a difficult second half of last season on loan in the Championship.
The Dutchman obviously has talent, having played minutes in France’s top level only two seasons ago and often in the Eredivisie before that. He also showed glimpses of true star quality in the Championship, and against League One defences, he might be unplayable. At Bolton, he should be allowed the game time he requires to fully realise this.
There will be pressure, as a second loan spell with no discernible improvement could be detrimental to his career, but the former Dutch U21 international should be up to the task under Steven Schumacher’s fast-paced style, which provides ample opportunities for players like Cissoko to shine.
Time will tell, but if Schumacher can get both Cissoko and Cozier-Duberry going, the Trotters could be in contention for at least a League One play-off spot this season.
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