Why Eric Chelle cannot ignore Super Eagles-ready Femi Azeez, with 16 G/A and a Nigerian father

Femi Azeez did not just help Millwall over the finish line ahead of the final day, he announced himself as a player Nigeria can no longer afford to overlook.

His ninth goal of the season was a stunning left-footed strike in a 3–1 thrashing of Stoke City that confirmed Millwall's place in the Championship playoffs, giving them a shot at Premier League football next season.

For Azeez personally, it capped a season that has been nothing short of remarkable. 16 goal contributions, nine (9) goals and seven (7) assists, in 33 Championship appearances for a side fighting their way into the top six.

Those are not squad player numbers. Those are the numbers of someone carrying real attacking responsibility.

Born to a Nigerian father and a Spanish mother and raised in Northwood, Azeez qualifies for the Super Eagles, and at 24, the timing of his breakout aligns almost perfectly with a genuine opportunity to earn a call-up.

Nigeria coach Eric Chelle has publicly committed to blooding new names, including home-based NPFL stars, for the Unity Cup in London this summer.

A player of Azeez's profile, eligible, in-form, and playing playoff football in England, should be exactly the kind of name landing on that list.

What makes Azeez interesting beyond the goals is the profile of player he is. Operating on the right flank against Stoke, he was not just a threat in the final third, he worked defensively too.

He won five ground duels and three aerial duels, making two tackles and registering five recoveries. Against a physical Stoke side, that kind of two-way contribution on the wing matters.

His dribbling needs work, though, just one completed attempt from three against Stoke, but the attacking instincts are obvious. Two key passes, two chances created, and a goal from open play suggests someone who makes things happen rather than waiting for them to arrive.

• Nigeria-eligible through his father, no switching allegiance required.

• 16 goal contributions at 24 in a competitive second division is a serious benchmark.

• The Unity Cup is in London, and Azeez already plays his football there.

• Chelle has promised new faces; Azeez fits the brief exactly.

• Playoff football next month raises his visibility further before the squad is announced.

• Adds a different profile to the right wing, direct, two-way, combative.

A broader picture is forming here, too. Azeez joins Ryan Alebiosu, Bright Osayi-Samuel, and Frank Onyeka, whose Coventry City won promotion, as Nigerian players or Nigerian-eligible talents making noise in the Championship this season.

English football's second tier has quietly become a pipeline for the Super Eagles' next generation, and Azeez may be the most eye-catching name not yet on the radar.

His most productive single season remains the 2023/24 campaign at Reading, where he scored nine and assisted nine.

He has not quite replicated those combined numbers at Millwall, but he has done it at a higher level, for a more defensively organised side, in a more competitive environment. That context matters when evaluating the 16 contributions this term.

The Unity Cup call-up would be a risk-free audition. Low-stakes tournament, home city, in-form player. Eric Chelle should make the call.