Middlesbrough will be looking to get back to winning ways when they travel to the Toughsheet Community Stadium on Friday night to take on Bolton Wanderers, with the focus centred around one player in particular.

Middlesbrough are flying high towards the summit of the Championship table, with six wins, four draws, and just one defeat in their opening 11 games.

Kim Hellberg will be hoping his side can get back to winning ways after being held to a 2-2 draw at home with Cardiff City on Saturday, and will be looking to his fresh summer additions to lead the charge.

Middlesbrough completed the loan addition of Amario Cozier-Duberry late in the summer window

Middlesbrough enjoyed what is widely regarded as one of the best transfer windows a Championship club has ever undergone over the summer, as despite bringing in the likes of Radek Vitek, Ashley Phillips, Will Lankshear, Max Arfsten, Kyle Joseph, and Sebastian Berhalter for healthy fees, they entered September with a positive net spend.

This was due to the sales of both Hayden Hackney and Morgan Whittaker, as well as the windfall they received from Morgan Rogers' move from Aston Villa to Chelsea.

Excitement was brewing at the Riverside in the latter stages of the window, and following Whittaker's exit, a replacement was required, as Amario Cozier-Duberry headed to Teesside on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion.

Cozier-Duberry, 21, was the subject of interest from an array of Championship clubs, including Stoke City, as exclusively revealed by Football League World, but it was Boro who would ultimately win the race, as interest in the winger was understandable.

Amario Cozier-Duberry enjoyed an exceptional year on loan with Bolton Wanderers

Having come through the ranks of Arsenal, Cozier-Duberry joined Brighton in the summer of 2024, and headed out on loan to Blackburn Rovers shortly after, but struggled to make a notable impact during his spell at Ewood Park.

He dropped from the Championship to League One with Bolton Wanderers, joining the Trotters on loan in the summer of 2025, and it quickly became apparent that the England youth international was a cut above that level.

In 37 third-tier games, including in the play-offs, Cozier-Duberry scored nine and grabbed ten assists, and was more often than not the focal point of the Trotters attack which contained the likes of Mason Burstow, Thierry Gale, and Sam Dalby.

Netting in the play-off final in a 4-1 win over Stockport County, the winger cemented his cult hero status among Bolton supporters, but now, he is set to go from hero to villain.

Amario Cozier-Duberry is set to renew acquaintances with Bolton Wanderers and Steven Schumacher on Friday

Bolton host Middlesbrough on Friday night, and though the Greater Manchester outfit are newbies to the division, they have displayed themselves as no such pushovers.

Losing just one of their last five league outings, including victories over Cardiff, Norwich City, and Wolverhampton Wanderers, as well as avoiding defeat away to Southampton, Middlesbrough must be at their very best to get anything from this game, and will be looking to Cozier-Duberry to produce some of his magic.

Bolton supporters will be well aware of the winger's quality from his time at the club, and Middlesbrough fans have quickly learnt why he was so highly coveted over the summer, with two goals and three assists in six Championship games so far.

Schumacher knew how to get the best out of the 21-year-old, and now, he must try to keep him as quiet as possible, as the pair are set to go head-to-head this Friday.

What are your memories of Cozier-Duberry, Bolton fans? Do you think he will perform against his former side, Middlesbrough fans? Share your thoughts below!

Bolton Wanderers will be hoping to keep Amario Cozier-Duberry quiet when they face Middlesbrough

When they host Middlesbrough, Bolton will be well aware of the quality the away side possesses throughout the pitch, and whilst focus will predominantly be on Cozier-Duberry, this cannot come at the expense of allowing the rest of Boro's stars to express themselves freely.

It's set to be an interesting affair between a club that was playing in League One last year and a team one game away from the Premier League, with a former star set to return to his old stomping ground.

A Cozier-Duberry goal would be a kick in the teeth for the Trotters, though regardless of how he performs, the three points are all that matters, as Schumacher and his staff will be working tirelessly to counteract Kim Hellberg's electric side.