Premier League clubs plot Southampton transfer raid for £15m starter

Southampton forward Finn Azaz is on the transfer radar of Premier League clubs Brighton and Leeds United for a summer move.

With the 2025/26 campaign in its final stretch, Southampton have laid the groundwork for next season’s preparations. The ongoing March international break has fast-tracked their transfer plans for this summer.

Recently, Southampton were urged to make a move for Championship star Ilias Chair. Beyond that, the club are weighing up the futures of key players like James Bree and loanee goalkeeper Daniel Peretz.

On the departure front, Southampton have been quiet after boss Tonda Eckert dismissed claims about Caspar Jander’s future. But that calm is likely to be disrupted with Premier League clubs reportedly targeting one of the Saints’ most valuable starters.

The player in discussion is Finn Azaz. According to Sportsboom, the Saints attacker is on the transfer radar of Brighton & Hove Albion as well as newly promoted Leeds ahead of the summer transfer window.

Brighton & Leeds are interested in Finn Azaz

Southampton’s remarkable turnaround in the Championship campaign has seen multiple starters slot in Fotmob’s provisional Team of the Season. Although Finn Azaz didn’t make it to this XI, the attacker has been fundamental to the Saints’ success throughout.

The most praised attribute that makes Azaz a transfer target for Premier League clubs is his consistency in the EFL.

Notably, Finn Azaz had 23 goal contributions for Middlesbrough last season. With consistently decisive performances, the attacker had almost single-handedly aided Boro’s upper mid-table finish.

While Azaz is yet to outscore his last season’s tally in this campaign, he’s consistently been the man in the right place at the right moment. This quality makes him tailor-made for clubs like Brighton and Leeds.

It’s worth noting that the Seagulls have had no consistent attacking threat option upfront other than Danny Welbeck. Their interest in Azaz makes sense because they value the forward’s proven ability to find goals throughout the campaign.

On the other hand, Leeds United’s interest in Azaz feels even more natural. Having struggled to find the net in their Premier League return, they’d love a goalscoring attacking midfielder of Azaz’s profile.

Given that Leeds boss Daniel Farke has followed the player first‑hand in the Championship in recent years, the interest is hardly surprising.

Can Southampton afford to let Finn Azaz go?

Having spent most of his career in the Championship, a move to the Premier League would be a significant step up for Finn Azaz. But given that he is under a long-term Southampton contract, the Saints hold the final say in his transfer situation.

There’s hardly a doubt that Finn Azaz has been a massive hit for Southampton so far. While he arrived as the most expensive signing for the Saints last summer, Azaz has delivered the quality befitting his £15m price tag.

During this process, Azaz has seen his market value rise significantly. If Southampton were to approve his sale to a Premier League club like Brighton or Leeds, Saints could fairly command a transfer fee in the range of £25m-£30m.

While such a fee is a significant return in the short term, Southampton would likely refrain from cashing in on Azaz and letting him go this soon.

That’s because Azaz has been Southampton’s primary goalscoring threat since Adam Armstrong’s winter departure. While Southampton would be better off financially if they sell Azaz, finding a replacement for him would be an uphill task for the Saints.

Additionally, the sale of the club’s most in-form forward would send the wrong message to fans and their long-term Premier League ambitions.

Instead, Southampton’s priority should be to give Azaz the top‑flight stage he deserves by earning promotion themselves. If they go up, the transfer talk of his Premier League move might well settle before it even properly begins.