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FLW's Lions fan pundit has weighed in on the Azeez transfer saga

Femi Azeez has become one of the Championship's most talked-about players this season, and not simply because of the numbers.

At 24, he has been the creative heartbeat of a Millwall side that has surprised many by pushing into automatic promotion contention - a player whose rise has been well-timed in a market that places ever-greater value on wide forwards who can carry the ball and manufacture chances from nothing.

The Premier League interest was inevitable. Reports linking Crystal Palace, Everton, Brentford, Leeds United and Sunderland to Azeez reflect both his output and his profile.

He is exactly the kind of player the modern game rewards, and clubs at the top level have noticed.

What makes his situation genuinely compelling, though, is the context around it. Millwall are not a side in transition or selling out of necessity.

Sitting within touching distance of Middlesbrough and Ipswich Town, promotion - not merely participation - is the goal.

Should they achieve it, the conversation shifts entirely: not when Azeez leaves, but whether he does at all.

Femi Azeez Millwall transfer price tag: £15-20 million could be just the starting point

Millwall's negotiating position is, for now, a strong one. Azeez is contracted until 2028, and the club turned down significant interest in January without a moment's hesitation.

That decision looks increasingly shrewd. Every week he performs in a promotion push adds to both his valuation and Millwall's leverage - a dynamic that is unlikely to be lost on any interested parties come the summer.

Football League World spoke to Millwall fan pundit Lucas Ball about the situation - and what it would take to prise Azeez away from The Den.

"I don't know if it's inevitable if he leaves if we go up - but there's obviously a chance of that happening," Ball said.

"He's got interest in him from these good clubs with good reason, obviously fresh from winning the Player of The Month award, as well.

"Look, he's had a really good season, there's certainly plenty of aspects of his game that he still needs to work on, but he's been really good.

"What's probably been difficult for us, is that he does have to shoulder a lot of the creative burden for the team.

“Maybe less so in the last month or so, as we've had other players coming back and Coburn's led the line really good for example, giving us different ways to play in terms of going more direct at times.

"But yeah, Azeez has certainly had to carry that burden for large chunks of the season, and we've clearly missed him when he's not been available.

"He's been quality - I'm sure there's a spot in the Championship Team of the Season for him and we'll see what kind of interest that brings.

"But in the summer - after a season like this - you're wanting to get £15-20 million for him, if not slightly more than that.

"And if he was to leave, if you could encourage a bidding war between those clubs, then that would obviously push up the price slightly from our perspective - which would be a positive if he is to go.

"Obviously, fingers crossed in the first place that we do go up and then if we don't, if we can keep hold of him that's a huge boost ahead of next season but equally - if he is to leave, I'm sure the funds will be reinvested and reinvested wisely.

"We'll just have to see - but hopefully it doesn't matter and we go up - no questions asked."

Why replacing Femi Azeez will be harder than it looks

There is a familiar tension running through all of this. For clubs operating without the cushion of parachute payments, selling players is often less a choice than a structural reality.

Azeez represents a potential windfall that could reshape a squad - but only if reinvested wisely, and only if a suitable replacement can be found.

That second part is easier said than done. His ability to carry the ball, create chances and adapt tactically has made him the focal point of Millwall's attack for large stretches of the season.

Any incoming player would also need to fit a club that has evolved considerably under Alex Neil, shifting away from direct football towards a more technical, possession-based approach.

Finding a ready-made like-for-like in that mould is a challenge even for clubs with considerably deeper pockets.

There is a less tangible consideration, too. Millwall's surge this season has been built on structure and collective belief in equal measure.

Losing the player who has most embodied both - particularly if promotion is narrowly missed - risks knocking momentum at a genuine crossroads for the club.

For now, Millwall hold the cards. Azeez is contracted, in form and central to a side with genuine ambitions rather than a club resigned to cashing in.

Whether that remains true come August will depend on how the final weeks of the season unfold - and, ultimately, on whether the Lions can turn a compelling campaign into something that renders all transfer talk beside the point.