Wayne Rooney names the EFL Championship player who could easily play in the Premier League | OneFootball

Former Manchester United and England legend Wayne Rooney has labelled Southampton's Finn Azaz as a man who could step up to the Premier League

As the off-season approaches, questions will be asked once more about which current Championship stars can make the step-up and play Premier League football next season.

Unsurprisingly, a lot of the candidates in those discussions find themselves playing for Southampton, and there are multiple reasons why.

With their Premier League parachute payments, the Saints have been able to retain and attract a lot of top-flight quality players, and the exceptional run they have been on in 2026 has caught a lot of eyes, especially in the mainstream, after they beat Arsenal and took Manchester City all the way in their FA Cup run to the semi-finals.

The star of the show in that semi-final was Finn Azaz, who scored a brilliant goal from outside the box to give Tonda Eckert's side a late lead, which ultimately they weren't able to hold on to.

But, after the game, plenty were talking about the Irishman's chances in the top flight, and former Manchester United and England legend Wayne Rooney has tipped him to make that step up pretty soon.

Wayne Rooney endorses Finn Azaz's Premier League potential

Speaking on the recent EFL special of The Overlap, Wrexham duo Paul Mullin and Conor Coady, and Wayne Rooney all discussed who they believe to be able to play in the Premier League in the near future. Rooney put forward Azaz's name.

The 40-year-old's managerial stint at Plymouth Argyle came after the attacking midfielder had moved on to Middlesbrough, but he did find himself watching on in the opposing dugout as the Irishman excelled against whichever side he was the manager for.

"Finn Azaz, I think. He's a player I like," Rooney said when asked who in the Championship he feels could play in the Premier League.

"I only became aware of him at Plymouth, but he's a player I've watched, and he's a player I like. He's a very intelligent footballer, and I think, to go and play in the Premier League, you need that intelligence to be able to find space, take the ball and be a match-winner.

To get that endorsement from a Premier League legend is a real confidence-booster, and Azaz will be hoping to get into the top flight sooner rather than later.

Finn Azaz will be a Premier League player with or without Southampton

Southampton and Azaz have a big matchup with Middlesbrough on Tuesday night to decide who will meet Hull City in the play-off final on May 23, with a place in the Premier League up for grabs.

Although if the Saints are unsuccessful in their bid to prevail in the play-offs for the second time in as many seasons in the Championship, there's a high likelihood that Azaz will be subject to some top-flight interest from elsewhere.

Despite a debut season at Southampton where his goal contribution numbers have dropped from his final year at Middlesbrough, he's arguably had a better all-around season outside those stats, and the goals he has scored have come in big games.

That "match-winning" quality that Rooney stated is something that Premier League sides will look for, especially those who will need the points to avoid relegation.

The quality gap between the two divisions can often put teams off from buying in the Championship recently, but Azaz clearly has the qualities to play in the top flight, and if Southampton don't get promoted, they could be powerless to stop the Irishman, and some of his colleagues, from making that step-up without them.