Nigerian international winger Femi Azeez has completed his long-awaited move to the Premier League after Brighton & Hove Albion confirmed his signing from Championship side Millwall on a four-year contract.

The 25-year-old completed the transfer on Wednesday, September 2, following a dramatic deadline-day negotiation between the two clubs. Brighton and Millwall submitted a deal sheet before the 11pm deadline, allowing the transfer to be completed before the extended 1am deadline.

Brighton confirmed that the financial terms of the deal were undisclosed, although reports indicate that the initial transfer fee is around £12.5 million, with performance-related add-ons capable of taking the total package beyond £15 million.

The deal represents a major financial gain for Millwall, who signed Azeez from Reading in 2024 for a fee reported to be around £1 million. His move to Brighton is expected to become the most expensive sale in Millwall’s history.

Azeez arrives at Brighton after producing one of the strongest individual campaigns of his career during the 2025/26 Championship season.

The winger scored 11 goals and registered eight assists in 35 Championship appearances for Millwall, with his performances earning him recognition in both the PFA and EFL Championship Teams of the Season.

From non-league football to the Premier League

Brighton sporting director Mike Cave praised Azeez’s development and said the club was delighted to finally complete the deal after showing strong interest in the player.

Cave described Azeez as one of the most exciting attacking talents in the Championship and said his performances played a key role in helping Millwall reach the play-offs last season.

The move marks the latest stage in an unusual career journey for Azeez, who did not follow the conventional route to England’s top division.

He came through the Watford youth system before moving into non-league football, where he played for Northwood, Wealdstone and Hanwell Town.

His performances eventually earned him a professional opportunity with Reading in 2019. After developing further at the Championship club, he joined Millwall in 2024 and gradually established himself as one of the division’s most dangerous attacking players.

Azeez’s progress also brought international recognition. The winger made his senior Nigeria debut during the 2026 Unity Cup and immediately made an impression, scoring both goals in the Super Eagles’ 2–0 victory over Zimbabwe.

He followed that performance by providing an assist in Nigeria’s 3–0 victory over Jamaica as the Super Eagles retained the Unity Cup.

The Nigerian international now moves into a new challenge against some of the best players in English football.

Naturally a winger, Azeez is capable of operating from the right side and using his pace and direct style to attack defenders. He can also operate in a more advanced attacking midfield role, giving Brighton additional options in the final third.

His ability to score and create chances was a major reason for Brighton’s determination to secure his signature, particularly after the club reportedly saw several offers rejected by Millwall before an agreement was eventually reached.

Brighton have developed a reputation for identifying and developing talented players, and the club will now hope Azeez can make a successful transition from Championship football to the Premier League.

For Azeez, the move represents the reward for years of persistence after beginning his senior career outside the professional leagues.

He will also become part of a growing Nigerian presence at Brighton, with the club having continued to recruit and develop young talent from different parts of the world.

The four-year contract, which runs until 2030, demonstrates Brighton’s long-term confidence in the Nigerian winger and gives him the opportunity to establish himself at Premier League level.

Azeez’s arrival also comes at an important point in Brighton’s season as the club prepares for its upcoming league fixtures. He will now compete for a place in the squad and look to translate the goals and assists that made him stand out in the Championship to the Premier League stage.

After years of working his way through Watford’s academy, non-league football, Reading and Millwall, Femi Azeez has finally reached the top flight.

The next chapter of his career begins at Brighton, where the Nigerian winger will be hoping to prove that his impressive Championship form was only the beginning.