Millwall can ease Femi Azeez transfer fear with Brighton ploy that West Ham, Rangers would hate | OneFootball

Amario Cozier-Duberry would be a shrewd addition to Alex Neil's attack in place of the Nigerian

After missing out on promotion last season, Millwall will be hoping the 2026/27 campaign is finally their year to return to the top-flight of English football.

The Lions recorded their best finish for 36 years under Alex Neil's management in his first full season at The Den, and got off to an ideal start this time around with a controlled 2-0 success over Bristol City at Ashton Gate.

Due to the strength of the sides which have been relegated from the Premier League, some outsiders have found it hard to see Millwall potentially finishing in the expanded play-off positions, especially if they are to lose the services of Nigerian winger, Femi Azeez.

However, with less than two weeks of the summer transfer window remaining, the South London outfit do potentially have the opportunity to strike a transfer deal which would extremely frustrate those of bitter rivals, West Ham United, and call upon the services of another winger who lit up the EFL during 2025/26.

Femi Azeez has remained one of the Championship's hottest properties this summer

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Indeed, Azeez has proven to be a bargain transfer for Millwall at present, having arrived from League One outfit, Reading, despite a difficult introductory period in SE16 during 2024/25.

After the two clubs agreed a £1m transfer, the winger produced just two goals and six assists as Neil's side ended a mixed campaign on the periphery of the play-offs, before Azeez emerged as one of the Championship's most sought-after talents of last season.

Indeed, whilst the likes of Tristan Crama, Jake Cooper and Josh Coburn also emerged with real credit, Millwall would have likely found themselves further down the table if it wasn't for Azeez's stellar contributions of 11 goals and eight assists, whilst also attracting interest from sides such as Crystal Palace, Leeds United and, most notably, Ipswich Town, who saw multiple Deadline Day bids rejected.

Unsurprisingly, though, such interest has failed to dissipate this summer.

Brighton are looking to edge out Hull City in Femi Azeez transfer race

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It was reported earlier in the year that the Lions valued Azeez in the region of £30m, and whilst it remains to be seen if such claims are true, their prized asset has become the subject of interest from clubs in the Premier League.

It was exclusively revealed by Football League World earlier in the month that Hull City had expressed an interest in his services, having defeated Millwall in the play-off semi-finals on route back to the top-flight, before it emerged that his current employers had rejected a club-record transfer offer.

However, it has since been reported that Brighton and Hove Albion, who will also be competing in the UEFA Conference League, are also weighing up a transfer move for Azeez, despite Fabian Hurzeler's side having a host of options in wide areas, such as Japanese international, Kauro Mitoma.

The Seagulls have developed a strong reputation for enhancing the careers of homegrown talents, and at his current age, Azeez may feel that an opportunity to shine in the Premier League and compete in Europe may never come around again, which would still be a minor blow to Millwall.

Millwall could soften Femi Azeez blow with Amario Cozier-Duberry transfer chase which West Ham would hate

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However, with Millwall still likely to command a sizeable fee for Azeez, a compromise between the two clubs could be a swap deal involving Amario Cozier-Duberry, who shone in League One last season on loan with Bolton Wanderers, and has attracted Championship interest for some time.

The former Arsenal academy player scored eight times and provided 12 assists in the regular season, as well as influencing the Whites' play-off success, and this has seen his valuation skyrocket, despite never making a competitive appearance for the Seagulls.

It has been reported that Cozier-Duberry is valued at £10m after Brighton knocked back a £7.5m bid from Rangers, whilst a swap deal would also present Millwall with the chance to gazump their bitter rivals, West Ham, as well as Wolves, in what is not the first transfer saga this summer involving the newly-relegated duo.

Amario Cozier-Duberry would have a point to prove in the Championship

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Whilst being four years younger than Azeez means that Cozier-Duberry could offer Millwall greater resale value in the future, they would also hope that the 21-year-old would be fuelled by the desire to prove doubters wrong after his last spell in the Championship.

Indeed, he spent the first half of the 2024/25 season at Blackburn Rovers under current Derby County boss, John Eustace, in what was a maiden taste of regular first-team action.

However, those at Ewood Park didn't exactly see the same player, somewhat due to injury issues, as their counterparts at Bolton in the division below, where he scored just once in 23 Championship appearances.