Femi Azeez’s debut brace for Nigeria at the Unity Cup has only added fuel to what was already a fierce tug of war over his future, with Millwall sending Ipswich Town away for the second time in six months after their latest £20 million offer was knocked back.
Millwall have rejected a second bid from Premier League club Ipswich Town for Super Eagles forward Femi Azeez. According to Football Insider via Football League World, the Tractor Boys returned with an improved offer worth £20 million in May, only for the Championship club to again turn them away. Millwall’s position is clear: they want closer to £30 million if Azeez is to leave The Den, a figure Ipswich have so far been unwilling to meet.
The standoff comes at a remarkable moment in Azeez’s career. The 24 year old had just capped his finest club season by scoring a brace on his international debut, helping Nigeria beat Zimbabwe 2-0 in the Unity Cup semi-final in London. His arrival on the Super Eagles stage has only amplified the attention around him, and the coming weeks could be decisive in determining where he plays his football next season. Supporters tracking this and every other Nigerian transfer story can follow the latest developments at FootballInNigeria.com.ng.
The Numbers Behind the Valuation
Millwall’s stance on the asking price is not difficult to understand when you look at what Azeez produced in the 2025/26 Championship season. He registered 11 goals and eight assists in 35 appearances, combining those numbers with a level of direct, high-speed wing play that few Championship players could match. He was named EFL Championship Player of the Month for February 2026 after contributing five goal involvements in five games across that stretch, a run that placed him firmly among the division’s elite attackers.
That form earned him a place in the Championship Team of the Season, a recognition that carries weight with Premier League clubs assessing targets from the second tier. At 24, with a contract that runs through to the summer of 2028, Millwall are not operating from a position of desperation. They can afford to hold their ground on the price, and everything about their approach suggests that is exactly what they intend to do. New Bet9ja users who want to follow Azeez’s Premier League future can use the Bet9ja YOHAIG sign-up bonus to back Nigerian stars in action next season.
Ipswich’s Persistent Interest
This was not the first time the newly promoted Suffolk club tested Millwall’s resolve. An initial approach in the January transfer window was turned away, at which point reports suggested Ipswich were seeking a deal in the £15 million to £20 million range. The return with a fresh offer at the top of that bracket shows genuine intent from Kieran McKenna’s side, but it also underlines a persistent gap between what the buying club is willing to spend and what the selling club demands.
For Ipswich, Azeez would represent a record sale received rather than paid, since he is currently at Millwall, not departing from Ipswich. The logic from the buying club’s perspective is straightforward, a Championship winger with 11 goals, an England-based profile, and international ambitions looks like compelling value at £20 million. For Millwall, selling below their stated £30 million threshold when they hold a contract until 2028 would amount to leaving significant money on the table in what could become a bidding situation if other clubs enter the race.
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The Super Eagles Factor
Azeez’s international debut has added a new dimension to the transfer conversation. Born in Westminster to a Nigerian father and Spanish mother, the forward was eligible to represent England, Spain, or Nigeria before committing to the Super Eagles earlier in 2026. The decision turned out to be an inspired one for all parties. Coach Eric Chelle handed him his debut in the Unity Cup semi-final against Zimbabwe, and Azeez marked the occasion by becoming the first Nigerian player this millennium to score a brace on his international debut.
His first goal arrived inside the opening five minutes, a low left footed finish into the bottom corner after being set up by Terem Moffi. His second came in the second half from a swift counterattack, again with Moffi providing the link play. The performance drew widespread praise and instantly elevated his profile well beyond the Championship transfer market.
His rise has been anything but straightforward. Born Oluwafemi Javier Azeez Beloso on June 5, 2001, he was released from Watford’s academy at the age of 14. He rebuilt his career through non-league football with Northwood, then Wealdstone and a loan to Hanwell Town, before earning a move to Reading in 2019. He made his senior debut for Reading in 2021, became a regular presence during the 2023/24 season, and then signed for Millwall in 2024. The step up to The Den unlocked a completely different level in his game, and 18 months later he is being pursued by Premier League clubs and making his bow for the Super Eagles. Few stories in Nigerian football this year have been as compelling. Fans who want to back Azeez and the Super Eagles through the World Cup qualifiers can use Bet9ja’s sign-up bonus to get started before the qualifiers begin.
What Happens Next
The transfer saga is far from over. With Ipswich showing persistent intent and Millwall unmoved on their price, the most likely resolution is either a significantly improved third bid or another club entering the picture to drive competition. Reports suggest broader Premier League interest beyond Ipswich, though no other club has been named with the same level of confirmed bidding activity.
Azeez himself is expected to feature in the Unity Cup final for Nigeria against Jamaica before any transfer discussions reach a conclusion. The Super Eagles are chasing a fourth consecutive Unity Cup title, while Jamaica will be attempting to claim their first. How Azeez performs in that final, on what is now a proper international stage, could play its own part in how the next few weeks of transfer negotiations unfold.
His younger brother Miguel Azeez, who came through Arsenal’s academy and has played professionally in England, will no doubt be watching closely as Femi continues to take the football world by surprise at every step.
📌 Did You Know?
- Femi Azeez’s full name is Oluwafemi Javier Azeez Beloso. He was born on June 5, 2001, in Westminster, London, and grew up in Northwood, making him one of the few Super Eagles players born and raised in the English capital.
- Azeez was released from Watford’s academy at age 14, forcing him to restart his career in non-league football with Northwood. He went on to represent Wealdstone and Hanwell Town on loan before earning a professional contract at Reading in 2019.
- He was named EFL Championship Player of the Month for February 2026 after registering five goal involvements in five games, one of the standout individual runs of form in the second tier that season.
- Azeez was eligible to represent England, Spain, or Nigeria at international level before officially committing to the Super Eagles in early 2026, making him one of the most uniquely eligible players in Nigerian football history.
- His younger brother, Miguel Azeez, is also a professional footballer who came through Arsenal’s academy, signing his first professional contract with the Gunners in September 2019 and making his senior debut in the UEFA Europa League in December 2020.
- Ipswich Town’s rejected £20 million offer would have been the highest fee Millwall has ever received for a player, surpassing previous record sales from The Den across the club’s Championship and Premier League history.
- Azeez’s transfer market valuation was assessed at approximately 15 million euros on Transfermarkt following his Championship campaign, making him the most valuable player in the current Millwall squad and one of the most highly rated Nigerians outside Europe’s top five leagues.
