Brighton Secures Super Eagles Star Femi Azeez in Massive N27bn Deal

Brighton & Hove Albion have successfully completed a deadline-day deal to sign Nigeria winger Femi Azeez from Millwall, with the transfer package exceeding £15 million. The Premier League club will pay an initial £12.5 million to Millwall, with performance-related add-ons pushing the total value beyond £15 million. Azeez has agreed to a four-year contract at the Amex Stadium, which includes an option for Brighton to extend the deal by an additional 12 months. The 25-year-old was granted permission to travel for his medical examination as Brighton raced against the 11 pm BST deadline on Tuesday to finalize the transfer.

The agreement followed intense negotiations over several days, during which Millwall had initially rejected earlier offers from Brighton, including bids around £10 million and £12 million. Millwall eventually accepted Brighton's improved proposal, aligning with their valuation and fulfilling Azeez's expressed desire to play in the Premier League.

This transfer represents a major financial triumph for Millwall, who had signed Azeez from Reading for approximately £1 million in August 2024. Just two years later, his sale could generate more than 15 times their initial investment, making it a record sale for the London club, surpassing the fee received for Romain Esse in 2024.

For Femi Azeez, this move marks a significant milestone in a remarkable and unconventional career path to the Premier League. Born in London to a Nigerian father and Spanish mother, Azeez began his youth career at Watford but was released at the age of 14. Instead of giving up, he diligently rebuilt his career through non-league football before earning another opportunity in the professional game with Reading. He made his senior Championship debut during the 2020-21 season, scoring 11 goals in 89 appearances for the Royals before moving to Millwall.

His first season at Millwall was primarily an adaptation period following his move from League One. However, the 2025-26 season proved to be his breakthrough, where he scored 11 goals and provided eight assists in 37 Championship appearances. His exceptional form was instrumental in Millwall's challenge for promotion, which ultimately concluded in the play-off semi-finals against Hull City. Azeez's outstanding individual performances earned him a well-deserved place in the PFA Championship Team of the Year, voted for by his fellow professional footballers.

Azeez's rise also extended to the international stage in May. Following his first Nigeria call-up from coach Eric Chelle, he made a memorable Super Eagles debut by scoring twice in a 2-0 Unity Cup win over Zimbabwe at The Valley in London on May 26. He scored in the fifth minute and added another goal after the hour mark. He was also influential in the final win over Jamaica, helping Nigeria claim a fourth straight title in the 2026 Unity Cup tournament. This debut provided Nigeria with another potent attacking option for upcoming international cycles.

His arrival at Brighton has broader implications for the club's squad planning. Azeez becomes Brighton's 11th signing of the summer, joining Nigerian youngster Zadok Yohanna, who arrived earlier in the transfer window from Swedish side AIK. Brighton has been actively strengthening its squad ahead of its return to European football for the first time since the 2023-24 season, as well as aiming for a higher finish in the Premier League standings. Azeez's transfer is expected to help clear the way for 21-year-old winger Amario Cozier-Duberry to potentially leave on loan, with Middlesbrough reportedly among the interested clubs. Furthermore, his arrival could pave the way for the potential departure of Gambian forward Yankuba Minteh, who has been linked with Liverpool as a possible replacement for Mohamed Salah, who left at the end of his contract last season. Once the deal is officially completed, Azeez will become the seventh Nigerian player in Brighton & Hove Albion's history.

Femi Azeez's transfer completes one of English football's most inspiring journeys: a player released by Watford at 14, who rebuilt his career outside the professional game, rose to become a PFA Team of the Year player, a Nigeria international, and now, a Premier League footballer, ready to test himself against top-tier defenders.