Hull City caution raised over 'breathtaking' £12m Southampton star | OneFootball

Finn Azaz has been earmarked as the main threat for Saints in North London

Hull City and Southampton are just days away from contesting the richest game in club football, with the final Premier League place for 2026/27 on offer in Saturday's Championship play-off final.

Both clubs have endured remarkable journeys to reach the showpiece event in North London, although the fact the Tigers have made it to Wembley for just a fifth time in club history has been viewed as a remarkable achievement in its own right given their difficulties under Sergej Jakirovic in terms of a transfer fee restriction and several injuries throughout the campaign.

Saints, of course, have only lost once in all competitions since mid-January under Tonda Eckert, but have been in hot water ahead of the upcoming final due to the spygate saga involving themselves and Middlesbrough, which began before their semi-final first leg at the Riverside Stadium on May 9th, and has continued long after the second tie at St Mary's three days later.

Given their recent Premier League pedigree, albeit their past two seasons in the top-flight have ended in rock-bottom finishes, as well as form and league position in the Championship's 46-game regular season, many are making the Hampshire side favourites against Jakirovic's well-drilled outfit.

Whilst this is unlikely to faze them ahead of Saturday's final, especially due to the one-off nature of the contest, Football League World asked our Hull City fan pundit, Cameron Gibson, which Saints man he is most fearing in the lead-up.

Hull City caution raised over Southampton's creative ace Finn Azaz

It is fair to say that Saints have depth in attacking areas which would be the envy of most Championship rivals, and that was proven when they parted with a £12m fee to prize Finn Azaz away from Middlesbrough last August.

Despite getting off to a slow start at St Mary's, the Republic of Ireland international has 12 goals and nine assists to his name across 49 appearances this season, which included a stunning strike at Wembley last month against the eventual FA Cup winners.

Although other names were noted by Gibson, it perhaps isn't the greatest of surprises that the 25-year-old was earmarked as a major threat.

"I don't think Hull City should be fearful of Southampton," he told FLW. "We've beaten them twice this season in September and January.

"We've proven that, as a team, we can beat them, and that we are maybe better as a collective. But, they have got better (individual) players.

"I think (Taylor) Harwood-Bellis is a great centre-back, so McBurnie will definitely be earning his money against him on Saturday.

"But, without a doubt, I think their star player is Finn Azaz," Gibson claimed. "He's a breathtaking player and, arguably, should be playing in the Premier League.

"He scored an absolute 'worldie' in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. So, if I was to choose one player that scares me in an attacking sense, it would be him.

"I've enjoyed watching him for the last couple of years in the Championship, and I think he's destined to play in the Premier League next season, whether that's with Southampton or another club," our fan pundit explained.

"He's a great attacking midfielder with a good shot from distance. That's probably our weakness.

"We are vulnerable to long-range shots because we control the 18-yard box so well.

"We shouldn't be worried about Southampton (as a team). I think we've got everything to go and beat them on the day, subject to pressure.

"But, he's their star man. If we have to keep someone in mind all game, it's him," Gibson reaffirmed.

"If he sneaks around the back of a centre-back or midfielder and can create space, he's a threat.

"He's someone we should keep a good eye on."

Hull City will hope to keep Finn Azaz largely quiet once more

Although Azaz's qualities at Championship level and as a big-game player cannot be disputed, the Tigers' rearguard had done well to keep the playmaker relatively quiet in both games earlier in the season.

He came close to giving Saints the lead in the latter of those contests on the South Coast in January, before a mixture of defenders, Ivor Pandur and the upright kept the hosts at bay. His 66th-minute substitution for eventual goalscorer, Ross Stewart, was then met with frustration as Eckert looked an under-pressure manager at the time.

However, on a much wider surface, Jakirovic's men cannot allow a player of such technical ability and vision to dictate the flow of the game, even though City have shown they are fairly comfortable without the lion's share of possession throughout the majority of the season.