Bolton Wanderers must ignore Ibrahim Cissoko, Sheffield Wednesday factor - One key reason shows why | OneFootball

Bolton's new loanee didn't have the best of seasons last year, but Ibrahim Cissoko could perform like their new Brighton loanee has so far

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 spark in an otherwise dire first half of the season at Plymouth Argyle under Wayne Rooney, netting three times in 13 games.

However, his performances made parent club Toulouse take him out of Home Park and send him to Sheffield Wednesday, a fellow Championship club competing in midtable, rather than competing to avoid relegation.

For Cissoko, his time spent at Hillsborough couldn't have gone any worse. He was unable to impress Danny Rohl during his few months at the club, making just five substitute appearances and being left out of the final four matchday squads of the league season.

That, ultimately, will be what sticks in the backs of Bolton fans' minds ahead of his loan spell, which started as a substitute in their 1-1 draw with Barnsley.

However, perhaps jumping to conclusions isn't the best decision to make at the moment. After all, Amario Cozier-Duberry has started life at the Toughsheet Community Stadium in a rather sensational vein, following a difficult loan spell in the Championship in 2024/25.

Amario Cozier-Duberry came to Bolton Wanderers with a lot to prove

20-year-old Cozier-Duberry was signed by Brighton and Hove Albion last summer, having spent his time in the Arsenal academy. Those behind the scenes at the Amex Stadium deemed him ready for senior football already, so they loaned him out to Blackburn Rovers immediately.

The exciting winger couldn't establish himself as a regular first-team player, despite scoring on his first Championship start against Luton Town. That start came in December, and was one of only six throughout the 2024/25 league campaign.

Under new boss Valerien Ismael, Cozier-Duberry played a part in just two of the 12 games he oversaw, missing the final eight of the season completely.

Therefore, a loan move to a League One side was the logical switch this summer for Cozier-Duberry, and it was Bolton who won his services for the year. After a stagnating campaign last term, the 20-year-old needed to prove himself in the third tier, and whilst it's still only early days, he's performing admirably for his new side.

The highlight of his short stint at Bolton so far came in the EFL Cup's first round, where he scored late to take the game to penalties against Sheffield Wednesday. Unfortunately, Steven Schumacher's side would lose the shootout, but the Brighton loanee at least netted his spot kick.

That came after Cozier-Duberry produced a starring display on his competitive debut at the Toughsheet Stadium in the 2-0 victory over Plymouth Argyle last weekend, where he set up Mason Burstow for the Trotters' second goal of the afternoon, having also made an immediate impression in pre-season.

Ibrahim Cissoko could follow in Amario Cozier-Duberry's early-season promise at Bolton Wanderers

Like Cozier-Duberry, Cissoko arrives at the Toughsheet Community Stadium in need of a boost after a frustrating latter half of last season on loan in the Championship.

The Dutchman clearly has ability, having played minutes in France's top division just two seasons ago, and regularly in the Eredivisie before that. He showed glimpses of real star quality in the Championship, too, and against League One defences, he could be unplayable. At Bolton, he should be given the game time necessary to properly realise that.

There will be pressure there, as a second successive loan spell with no clear improvement could be detrimental to his career, but the former Dutch U21 international should be up to the challenge under Steven Schumacher's fast-paced style, which creates ample chances for players such as Cissoko to shine.

Time will tell, but if Schumacher can get both Cissoko and Cozier-Duberry flying, then the Trotters will be among those tipped for at least a play-off spot in League One this season.