Aston Villa assessed Femi Azeez as a potential addition before Brighton completed their acquisition of the winger on transfer deadline day. The 25-year-old joined the south-coast club for an initial £12.5m, with a further £2.5m payable in add-ons, after agreeing a long-term contract and passing a medical.
According to Football Insider, former senior Villa scout Bryan King stated that the Midlands club examined the forward earlier in the summer. King suggested that an injury sustained during Millwall's opening fixture of the campaign may have influenced how events unfolded, though Brighton proceeded regardless.
Azeez built his reputation through a productive spell in the Championship last season, registering eleven goals and seven assists. That form earned him a place in the PFA Team of the Year and prompted his first senior call-up for Nigeria in May, where he scored twice on his debut against Zimbabwe and provided an assist versus Jamaica.
Rather than pursuing the Millwall man, Villa directed their resources towards Ibrahim Mbaye, securing the attacker for £47m to operate on the right side of their forward line. The club also faced questions over Leon Bailey's future amid reported interest from the Saudi Pro League before the window closed on 1 September.
With the summer transfer period now shut until January 2027, no Premier League club can register new signings until the new year. Brighton are expected to integrate Azeez into their squad once he recovers fully from his early-season injury.
