RANGERS' SECOND BID FOR BRIGHTON WINGER COZIER-DUBERRY REJECTED

Brighton have rejected a bid from Rangers for winger Amario Cozier-Duberry. Reports differ on the bid amount: one source states it was worth around £7m, whilst another puts the figure at £7.5m. The 21-year-old enjoyed a successful loan spell at Bolton Wanderers last season, scoring eight goals and providing 12 assists in 34 appearances as Bolton won the League One play-offs. Cozier-Duberry earned a place in the League One team of the season.

This represents Rangers' second bid for the player this summer. The Scottish Premiership club has been seeking attacking reinforcements after striker Youssef Chermiti suffered a season-ending ACL injury and a move for Couhaib Driouech collapsed following a failed medical. Rangers have already signed Lawrence Shankland and Daisuke Yokota, with eight other players arriving in other positions during the transfer window. The rejected bid would have been Rangers' second-highest transfer fee in more than 20 years; the club paid £8m for Chermiti last summer.

Cozier-Duberry has less than two years remaining on his contract at Brighton's Amex Stadium. Brighton are understood to be keen to offer him a new contract, whilst he continues to attract interest from Championship clubs over a potential loan move. Rangers manager Derek McInnes stated his squad needed "help", with the club targeting full-backs and forwards after dropping into the Conference League play-offs following elimination from the Europa League.