Nigeria international winger Femi Azeez has completed his move to Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion, bringing an end to his spell with Championship club Millwall.
Brighton confirmed the signing on Wednesday, announcing that the 25-year-old has joined the club on a four-year contract after the two clubs completed the deal following a late deadline-day agreement.
The move marks a major step forward in Azeez’s career after an impressive 2025/26 campaign in the English Championship. His performances for Millwall earned him recognition as one of the division’s standout attacking players and helped attract strong interest from Premier League clubs.
Azeez scored 11 goals and provided eight assists in 35 Championship appearances last season. His form earned him places in both the PFA Championship Team of the Year and the EFL Championship Team of the Season.
Brighton had to work hard to secure the Nigerian, with Millwall rejecting earlier offers before the clubs eventually reached an agreement. Reports indicate that Brighton will pay an initial £12.5 million, with performance-related additions capable of taking the overall package beyond £15 million.
For Millwall, the transfer represents a significant financial return on a player they signed from Reading in 2024 for around £1 million. Azeez leaves the Championship club having made 77 appearances, scored 15 goals and recorded 13 assists.
His journey to the Premier League has been far from straightforward. Azeez came through Watford’s youth system before playing non-league football with Northwood, Wealdstone and Hanwell Town, eventually earning a move to Reading in 2019.
He joined Millwall in 2024 and gradually established himself as an important attacking player. His breakthrough campaign last season eventually earned him the opportunity to move to England’s top division.
Azeez has also made an immediate impression at international level with the Super Eagles. He made his senior Nigeria debut earlier this year and scored both goals in the 2-0 victory over Zimbabwe before assisting in the subsequent 3-0 win over Jamaica.
Brighton sporting director Mike Cave welcomed the arrival, describing Azeez as one of the most exciting attacking talents in the Championship. The club believes his performances for Millwall have earned him the chance to test himself at a higher level.
The move also gives Azeez an opportunity to play regularly around a squad competing in both domestic football and Europe. Brighton secured a place in the UEFA Conference League after finishing eighth in the Premier League last season.
Azeez is naturally a winger and can operate from the right, where his left foot allows him to cut inside and create chances. He has also shown that he can play in a more advanced attacking midfield role.
His arrival adds another Nigerian connection to Brighton, which already has young Nigerian winger Zadok Yohanna in its squad. Azeez will now have the chance to continue his development while competing against some of the best players in English football.
The transfer is also significant for Nigeria, as Azeez becomes another Super Eagles player competing in one of Europe’s biggest leagues. His performances at Brighton could give national team coach Eric Chelle another attacking option ahead of Nigeria’s upcoming international assignments.
Azeez’s immediate challenge will be adapting to the speed, physical demands and tactical quality of Premier League football. After proving himself in the Championship, he now has the opportunity to show that he can make the same impact on England’s biggest stage.
Brighton’s next scheduled Premier League match is against Leeds United on September 5, giving Azeez a potential early opportunity to be involved with his new club.
The move completes what has been a rapid rise for Azeez, from non-league football to the Championship and now the Premier League. For the Nigerian winger, the four-year Brighton contract represents a new chapter and perhaps the biggest test of his career so far.