Reading FC respond as Millwall make Femi Azeez approach | OneFootball

The Royals have knocked back advances for their star man, who caught the eye in the 23/24 campaign

The Lions are said to be keen to add the creative midfielder to their ranks this summer, although the Royals are prepared to stand their ground in keeping the academy graduate at the club.

The playmaker has gathered plenty of interest over the past 12 months, with Plymouth Argyle said to have failed in their efforts to bring him to Home Park during the most recent January transfer window.

Azeez played a massive part in the Royals efforts in staying in League One in the previous campaign, with his 17 goal contributions making him a key operator for the Berkshire side.

Reading FC reject initial approach from Millwall for Femi Azeez

Having risen up the ranks at the Madejski Stadium, the 23/24 campaign marked a breakthrough season for Azeez, who featured in every league game for the Royals as they scrambled to a 17th-placed finish.

With six-points being deducted from the side due to the ongoing financial difficulties surrounding the club, it was always going to be a challenge for those at the club, and Azeez rose to the challenge in the most outstanding of ways to usher his side to safety.

Having had to wait until November to get his first goal of the season in a 5-1 rout of basement side Carlisle United, the left-footed star soon began to find form, with five goals in all competitions to his name by New Year’s Day.

Those strikes included a point-clincher in a 2-2 draw with promotion-chasing Peterborough United, as well as a late winner against Exeter City on the first day of 2024, with plenty of valuable points gathered as a result of his actions.

A brace against Charlton Athletic followed in February as the Royals’ survival fears started to lessen, before the academy graduate rounded off the season in fitting style, as he netted his side’s final goal of the campaign in a 3-2 victory over Blackpool in front of their home fans.

After such a magnificent breakthrough season, it is no wonder that plenty of Championship sides are said to be monitoring the 23-year-old, with the Royals currently strapped for cash as the troubles with owner Dai Yongge continue.

Such is the case with the League One side, that if they were to let Azeez leave the club this summer, they are currently unable to recruit from elsewhere to replace him, meaning a massive hole would be apparent in the Royals’ squad if he were to depart in the coming weeks.

Femi Azeez contract information amid Millwall, Plymouth Argyle transfer interest

The Royals would have been expecting plenty of interest in their creator-in-chief this summer, following his stellar season, and previous interest from Plymouth Argyle just six months ago.

The Pilgrims were looking to bring the midfielder to the club to replace the outgoing Morgan Whittaker, only for the former Swansea City man to stay put at Home Park, with the Royals rejecting any advances from the Devon outfit in any case.

Despite their financial issues, the Berkshire side are keen to keep hold of their most-coveted assets as it stands, with the club triggering a one-year extension to Azeez’s contract.

That update sees the 23-year-old tied down to the club until the summer of 2025, but if the former Premier League side are to get any renumeration for their top talent, they will more than likely have to cash in later this summer.