Hurzeler tips Azeez for Brighton chance after break

Brighton's head coach, Fabian Hurzeler, has expressed optimism about the potential return of Super Eagles forward, Femi Azeez, for a debut after the international break. Azeez, who currently plays for Brighton, missed Saturday's home game against Premier League champions Arsenal due to an injury. The 25-year-old signed for Brighton from Millwall on transfer deadline day for a fee of just over £15 million, but he has yet to make a league appearance for the club.

Speaking at a press conference, Hurzeler stated that the upcoming international break would allow Azeez to return to full physical fitness and adapt to Brighton's playing style. "He needs to use this upcoming international break to get back to his highest physical level and get used to our style of play," Hurzeler told BBC Sport.

The coach emphasized that Azeez would first undergo individual training before potentially being integrated back into the team. Hurzeler expressed confidence that Azeez would be at a "top level" after the break and ready to feature in games. Azeez suffered the injury during Millwall's opening Championship match against Bristol City.

This absence has affected Azeez's availability for the Super Eagles squad, which was named by Eric Chelle for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and a friendly against Russia. Despite missing the crucial games, Azeez had a successful 2025/26 season with Millwall, scoring 11 goals and assisting seven times in the Championship. If his form continues, Azeez could make his Brighton debut in their next game against Sunderland.